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Hope they continue to monitor chair hogs at pool. It is tough for pool deck workers tho. Saw it on Holland Amer cruise. People that had their items moved gave crew a hard time. But they had been away for more than an hour during busy, crowded time.
There needs to be some turn over of seating at pools but the problem stems from lack of capacity in popular areas. They want the revenue from 4000-6000 passengers but comparatively small pool areas etc….
@@billybenson3834 - I don't like paying for the most basic amenity. It's like being charge extra to use the toilet, take a shower, or use the heat or A/C in my cabin. Wi-Fi should be included!
Yup. Anyone who knows anything at all about wi-fi and the spectrum bands within which it operates knows that the "navigational interference" line is pure BS (this goes for wi-fi on airlines as well). This is just another ploy to prevent guests from avoiding the cruise lines' extortionate wi-fi service charges.
Love, love, love the chair hog monitoring! So many times we see pool lounge chairs saved and nobody using them for hours. I wish resorts would be more strict with this policy as well. 🎉🎉Happy New Year 🎉🎉
Hi, former Royal Caribbean employee and contractor here. answer for the power bar here: the electrical systems on their ships are ridiculously delicate. The power bars will spark a fire or short out your whole cabin upon plugging it in. I've seen it happen. Banning power bars is an electrical fire prevention rule.
I can certainly understand the boombox ban. Back in the mid-90’s we were on a cruise where we could not enjoy the pool deck because of the competing boomboxes blaring music, with every box playing different music at max volume. It was absolute chaos.
This has happened to me as well. The hot tubs were full of kids not behaving and we could never find a time they weren't there. It made the adult area hot tub full all the time so we just didn't get to go in a hot tub last cruise.
I totally agree with No Kids in the Hot Tubs. The last cruise I was on there were kids (aged 8-12) constantly in the hot tub and the parents didn't care. So many Adult passengers wanted to use the hot tub. I got fed up and just Got into the hot tub.....the kids did not like the Old Lady in the hot tub and so they all got out Yay!
Fully agree! Seen it too many times! A classic hot tub issue we had.. not in the adults hot tub though… our 10 y/o son was in the main pool , that hot tub was somewhat attached to the pool. The tub was full of drunk/drinking people, next thing I knew something went flying from the tub area into the pool. That ‘Something’ was a beer can and it HIT my son in the head! The tub people thought it was so funny🤬 STAFF didn’t do a dang thing about it too!!
I took my first cruise as an adult on the Icon of the Seas in December. I purchased so many of your recommended cruise must-haves before I went. I also met so many people from around the world, but one lady I met, we were talking and I was telling her about your UA-cam page and she watches you also!!! Thank you for all the good information you give about cruising.
Chair hogs …. One of my pet peeves. I was on a Carnival cruise last January. My friends and I were on an upper deck enjoying the view, sun and chatting. Chairs with items on them were unattended for nearly 2 hours. Ugh
This past summer, I was on Explorer of the Seas and on the first day, the captain made the following announcement: "Keep in mind that the chairs around the pool are MY chairs and I say you cannot reserve them." Great captain!
I completely agree with the limit on food at dinner. I watched a woman order 5 entrees and take 2 bites of each. When questioned she said, I paid for it. Ridiculous. People like her need rules because they have no morals
kind of disagree. Yes they paid for it. you pay for all inclusive when on a cruise. I could understand like a clean plate rule, where you can get unlimited food as long as you are finishing most of the plate, but an outright limit means they should be charging less.
The boombox ban is great as far as I’m concerned. Mainly because at night if a neighboring cabin plays their music late or all night, it is hard to sleep.
We just sailed with a couple who both use Cpap machines. There were no outlets near the bed. They had packed one extension cord but had to request another from the steward. I can't imagine banning extension cords for medical equipment
We recently brought extension cords without surge protectors for Oxegen machine and Cpap on Royal. They put them through testing and allowed us to bring it on board. They have to have strict rules about this for fire and safety. Going forward we will be using what the ship provides. Tavel agent also informs them we are bringing the equipment. No big deal. 🛳️ **If their cords were banned possibly they were not safe to use on the boat.
Its because they need to be tested for safety. The other problem is so many people are bringing half their house and trying to plug it in, it overloads the electrical system on the ship
My husband and I both use CPAP machines. We were told the ship would provide an extension cord, as only one side of the bed had a plug. Imagine our surprise when the cord provided was a surge-protected extension cord!
It is sad that all these bans have to be implemented because some people just do not care about their fellow human beings. Never fails that someone will do something to ruin it for the rest of us.
@@Barry-k4c how are you going to tip the chef, the guy who washes the plates, the butcher, the laundry attendant, the cleaners ect, i do personally think the fares should just increase the $20 a day and not be called any charge, what they then call that wages , tips, grats internally i do not care, however it may be done the way it is for tax reasons.
Carnival's price increase for water is my most hated change. Carnival said their policy of not allowing guests to bring bottles of water onboard was offset by the low pricing of water onboard, but that has changed. Carnival has massively increased the price of water bottles to an outrageous price.
Love the transparent pricing, there’s been a few occasions where I’d start to book a cruise and by the time they added all the hidden fees on I said forget it, to expensive.
I remember trying to book a flight to Hanoi and had the same experience. My mum found $50 flights to Vietnam and we both had valid passports so decided to go over a long weekend. The fees kept piling on for seat selection, taxes, luggage, and had multiple legs. By the time the ticket got to $500 each we hadn’t finished the booking process and gave up.
I don't really have an issue with any of these since I can understand the "why" that may have caused each change. Maybe I'm just easy-going, or I want the cruiselines to do what they need to and make sure it stays a viable affordable vacation choice!🤗
Part of the reason they are not allowing multi plugs is the receptacles they have in the cabins can handle so many amps , so when you add a multi plug you have a possibility of increasing the load that the cabin receptacles can handle.
On #11, the food limit. I think it has to do with people ordering many items and then sample them and leave most as waste. Honestly you also see this with drinks where people take a sip and walk away and order something else as well. I would actually think it is better to rules that if you order more than 1 item from each part of the menu and leave it mostly untouched you will be charged a fee for wastage. Similarly in the buffet where you see people piling on food and only eat a part of it. All that waste is a cost and drives up the price for all the guests.
Dietary reasons. I can’t eat very many carbs or sugars anymore. This eliminates most sides that come with meals. I like to order 2 entrees, like grilled chicken and a steak, And maybe two appetizers A salad and a shrimp, cocktail.
this, putting a limit on the food is just kind of scammy. You paid for it as part of the cruise. A fee like they do in some buffets for leaving behind food would be a much better solution. And for the samplers who like to use the restaurant to try new foods maybe offer a sampling platter as an option. There are many solutions they could have tried but the limit is just them trying to cut costs without cutting your costs.
This is what THEY said passenger can do. Is it wasteful, perhaps. But when you’re on vacation, one you paid for, you are in a different wasteful mindset.
No drinks in the pool maybe because drunk people tend to get sloppy and spill their drinks. I’m pretty sure if that happens they have to drain the pool and refill it. I’m just speculating though. 🥰
It depends on what you gift them. If it's your grandma's lime jello sauerkraut mold, then yeah, that's definitely a gift that would make the recipient think that you hate them.
We just got back from a Southeast Asia cruise on Celebrity and their was a picture taken of a "chair hog" and posted it on the Facebook page for our trip, there was a towel draped over both chairs, a book on one and a hat on the other. Someone did report it to the steward, as it had been hours before anyone came around, the steward basically said, they can't remove any "personal" items from the chairs...other people commented and said, "they would throw the items overboard!"...lol...
I have actually used chair hog chairs. I just put their belongings under the chair. No one has ever questioned me. I am ready with a polite comeback if they do appear though
The last cruise we were on, one of the other diners ordered everything on the menu. “Because she wanted to try it all”. She took one bite of everything - it was extremely wasteful. PS - she criticized everything. Now, I want on one with 4 others, we all ordered different things and shared. That worked well.
We don't really drink much alcohol but I do like soda and my husband doesn't. So it's a pain that we both have to buy a package. The last couple cruises we didn't even get a drink package at all. Cheaper that way.
I got talked into a drink package on my last cruise. It was the first time I ever got one - same for the friend who went with me. We both quickly realized that it would have been cheaper for us to buy our own drinks. I don't know how anyone can drink enough to justify it.
I just want to thank you for all of your content. After watching you and a few other channels, I have FINALLY booked my first cruise! 🎉 I will now be seriously binge watching all of your content for more tips and tricks. It’s nice to get the information from a fellow Canadian. Again, thank you!
There's also a 4-Hour period from 2:30 a.m. until 6:30 a.m. on the Carnival cruises that you can't get anything to eat without paying to order room service
My husband and I took my parents on a cruise and my dad's most memorable moment was when he got 3 lobsters at dinner!! He got one, and I asked for another for him. He was ecstatic!! I saw so happy he was that I gave him my lobster!! He was like a little kid in a candy store!
We never use cruise pools or hot tubs, you know people can’t drink for hours with out having g to pee. And rarely do we see people getting out. The whole thing grosses me out.
100% agreed also. I mentioned that in another channel as well. I went on a cruise and saw the same people for along time in the hot tub drink and never getting out. Nasty.
I can understand why they don’t want drinking in the pool. The drinks can easily be spilled into the pool. Yet, I was on the MSC Meraviglia this past November. I was in the first row of lounge chairs next to the pool. I was lounging while reading a book and drinking a cup of coffee. Security told me I couldn’t drink anything by the pool. So I had to step aside just a few feet over to finish my coffee. Meanwhile, the people in the lounge chairs directly behind me were eating a full breakfast with drinks and nothing was said to them. So, that made no sense.
I kind of get the "no sharing drinks" rule for things like alcohol.... But if I am getting a smoothie, and my 4 year-old wants a sip of it, i'm gonna let him have a sip of it. I'm not gonna pay for an entire drinks package for a 4 year old who only wants a sip of my juice
Good point!! .. It's very traditional (in all cultures) especially for MOMS, to share with little kids, ....Cruises try to make you pay for a "minors drink package" from age 3 ad up .. this should be a higher age .. like maybe 9 or 10 ...
That's not the sharing they mean. They DON'T want people ordering a drink, then coming back in 5 minutes and ordering another for their partner. That's why limits are in place too.
The unopened alcohol beverages is ridiculous. Previously we have enjoyed a closed beer from our mini refrigerator in our cabin. We pay the extra money for those drinks and should be able to consume when and where we like.
This is a good point, It would be easy to implement, Diamond Level passengers could have separate drink rules .... then regular "drink package" customers, for example.
The rule is absolutely ridiculous. It has taken years for us to reach Diamond plus status and now they're acting like big brother and limiting us. If we want to spill our drink down the sink that should be our perogative. Anyway we should be able to get our drinks anytime and take them anywhere we want without being treated like a first grader
I had to rescue a man on a scooter when he was trying to get passed the cleaning supplies from the cabin stewards. He couldn’t get around it, so I was able to jostle the supplies to help him get down the aisle.😊
Scooters do not belong in the hallways! My husband uses a folding power wheelchair and it is impossible to go down the hallway with scooters there. I have had to knock on doors asking them to move the scooter.
I like to gamble and I was on the Carnival Liberty out of NOLA this past May and last month for 7 night cruises. One thing I noticed was there were a LOT more security guards in the casino on this past trip. One rude action some people will do is play one machine and hold the machine beside it so no one else can use it. I saw one couple get escorted out cursing because of doing this and I had another lady ready to fight over someone asking to play a machine that she was "saving". Also, had a lady arrested for being caught using counterfeit money to play. We will be cruising again in April out of Jacksonville and we will see what happens.
@@pariwinklz Exactly! I want to try new things on the cruise that I would not try here at home, at in the MDR is where I take the chance to do that. I want to try that weird fancy food as I payed for it and if I don't like it or the sides, ect now I only have 2 times to get it right b4 being charged more money. I dont want to eat the buffet, I can do that at home far cheaper. They just need to get the people breaking all these riles, Im so tired of all these changes. We have not been on a cruise since 2019, and been so many changes it seems since then :(
@@BelindaSyjud this is why they should have a fee for not finishing a bunch of plates at one sitting and at the same time should have a sampler platter of the dishes on offer that night. People like to sample a variety of the dishes just to try them, so instead of limiting just make a new menu item to service those people. The fact they went straight to a plate limit says they are trying to reduce their own costs without reducing the cruisers cost. Its scummy cooperate greed.
As a certified pool operator I can tell you that pool water is not normal water. There are chemicals like chlorine that kill pathogens but there are other chemicals added so that the water feels good to your skin and is not damaging to your skin. Other chemicals are added to ensure that the water does not damage the pool or the pool equipment. So, if you or a bunch of you spill your drinks in the pool water it becomes difficult for the operator to balance the chemistry. The pool I operate has a no drinks, food or smoking around the pool. If someone throws up or defecates in our pool it will probably be closed for 3 days while we deal with the contaminates.
Cruise ships use seawater to fill the pools every morning and empty them in the middle of the night when they are not in use. They can't be using that many chemicals and dumping them into the ocean when they are done. I don't know if they circulate the water during the day to keep it cleaner, but lots of pools these days are salt water. I am pretty sure that spilling a bunch of alcohol into the pool with small children in it is not good. Also, it forces adults to not occupy the pool all day and circulate in and out of the pool.
Numerous power bars can overload the system on the ships. Rooms have a specific amount of electricity that is routed to each rooms. No drinks in a pool because they get spilled into the water. Princess still did (last year) steak and lobster one night on a cruise.
Our 2 week Princess Cruise in December had 2 formal nights but no lobster dinner. It was offered at the bottom of the dining room menus for a $39 charge.
Speaking from a service industry perspective ( bartender for 10+yrs) the open bottle policy is so minors aren’t given alcoholic beverages in the cabin or sharing free drinks with someone who may have been cut off by bar staff for already being over intoxicated. # 11 rule is strictly because if a beverage is spilled in the pool its contamination liability.
I sailed with Costa Cruises, They did monitor sun loungers around the decks, and if unoccupied for an hour all goods TOWELS/BOOKS/GLASSES/ ETC were removed and could be collected from, a central area When you returned and found your lounger occupied by A.N.OTHER :-)
It's so gross when people offer homemade food. How clean is their kitchen? Are they a hoarder? Do they lick their fingers when cooking? People need to just STOP this behavior because no one wants your scary mystery food.
I can tell you the water bottle thing has a loop. If you call the cruise line, ask to bring the case of water as it's a medical reason they do allow it. I took a cruise in Nov on Royal Caribbean and had no problem bringing a case in a carry on as requested. We are doing the 22 day cruise in Sept on Carnival so I'll let you know!
One thing I wish cruise lines would STRICTLY enforce, Ilana, is hygiene in the hot tubs/pools. On my first cruise of 2024, aboard Navigator OTS, I was relaxing in a hot tub, on the top deck, when four college aged kids, came in. On one of the boys backs, were many nasty pimples, and a female friend of his, started statching them, and rinsing her hands in the water. This is a MAJOR health issue. I reported it to several crew members, and asked that they drain and disinfect it. They did not do anything.
The rule that impacts me the most is the one where everyone in the suite needs the drinks package. I travel with my wife and child, and I have even gone on a short trip with just my child. My wife doesn't drink. My child doesn't either, obviously. I cannot justify the cost of a package for all three of us when only one can partake/imbibe. So, for all of my cruises, I just buy drinks onboard. Best deal is the "oil can" Fosters for $10 (plus 18% mandatory gratuity for handing the can to you) for a total of $11.80. It's more than double, at 750mL, the size of a normal beer, 355mL...that's 25.2 vs 12 oz for those who don't understand metric.
I've never heard of any cruise line that requires purchasing an alcoholic drink package for guests in the cabin under 21. They may force you to purchase a soda package (since you get sodas as well with the alcoholic packages), however those are significantly less expensive.
@@jasongill6979 On Princess Cruises, one of the packages that gets sold is called "Princess Plus". That includes gratuity, drinks and wifi for $60USD per person, per day. It is a set price. If you decide to get it, *everyone in the suite* needs to get it. Everyone includes children.
@@jasongill6979If you need specifics, on Princess Cruises, there are two packages. Both include wifi, gratuities and drinks. Plus is $60 per person per day. Premier is $90 per person per day. The problem is that everyone in the same room needs to get the package. So, for my family of three, Plus is $180 per day and i am the only one who drinks. It never makes sense for my situation.
Its crazy that at the higher levels of loyalty RCCL give you 4-5 drinks a day complimentary. I wish CCL would up their perks for us higher tier cruisers. I mean like even 5 free drinks for the whole cruise for Platinum and like 1 free drink a day for Diamond.
@@LifeWellCruised This is one comment of you I didn't understand. Of course sniffer dogs are now more present in cruise terminals for detecting illegal substances. And marijuana is not federally approved nor in some other countries. Cruise ships pass through international water so of course they have to adhere to it.
@@Gybing i had never seen them in the terminal at embarkation - this was on my 40th cruise, so I can only share from this perspective. I never said they don’t use them or shouldn’t
The chair hogs are so annoying.We've seen this on many, many cruises. Take the towels off and return them. Then they have to figure out how to get their money back. Hardly ever seen it enforced.
I was on a RCL a few years back, deck 11 balcony. Between my cabin and the stairs, elevators two "scooters" wheelchairs in the hall.. Muster drill failed because those things are heavy. An we couldn't move them. The handicapped passengers were relocated in the interest of safety
On Virgin Voyages, you can share your bar tab as much as you want. Also, no need to bring on cases of water because still and sparkling water are included and are supplied to your cabins in carafes.
That's because Virgin have a totally different way of "buying" drinks. You load your card and pay for drinks, so if you choose to buy someone a drink that's fair enough. They don't do packages.
@ They also give you free bar tab with certain promotions. We have been on 12 Virgin Voyages. On our next one, transatlantic from San Juan to Barcelona, we have $700 free Bar Tab and $700 free Loot (can be used for drinks, gift shop, excursions, tattoos, spa, whatever).
If you spill drinks or pee in the water the chemical balance goes out pf whack and it's very hard to rebalance. And when you are in the middle of the ocean its hard to dump the whole thing and refill.
The smoking part I agree and it it should be having a certain area of boats that people can so it won’t blow over to other people who don’t smoke and not enjoy their time
@@LifeWellCruised one time about a year ago, people were smoking on the balcony next to us… I reported it to the cabin steward. When he knocked on their door, the man got up, left his cig burning on the table , answered the door saying ‘oh no we aren’t smoking ‘🤯 Then the steward came back to my door I quietly walked him to our balcony door so he could smell for himself! The steward called Security, when they showed up the fool next to us TOSSED the cig over the rail and went to answer the door! I think there was a fine he had to pay.
@@LifeWellCruised Honestly they should ban smoking. I don't think people realize what it is like for someone with asthma to get a whiff of smoke from someone smoking. I don't care about them vaping in special areas because that doesn't cause me to have an attack. Also seems a little safer than having lit cigarettes on ships, because God knows smokers don't know how to put them out properly. They throw them lit on the ground and walk away.
I know for people with health issues, cigarette smoke is hazardous and it should be limited to certain area, but what's worse is people smoking on balconies. And when security comes, they try to eliminate the evidence by tossing over the rail? That is fire hazard! The cigarette butt can land on another balcony and start a fire! I am more concerned about that on the cruise. I'd rather have them smoke in their state room than on balcony.
I wish they could enforce the "no smoking on your balcony" better. It's incredibly stinky for those of us downwind. We complained but they couldn't catch the people in the act, and they did it night after night. Drug addiction is a terrible thing, and I feel sorry for those with addictions, but that doesn't mean the rest of us should have to suffer.
Happy new year cruisers 28 days til our first cruise ever sun princess can't wait thank you illana we have enjoyed your content since we first booked very helpful looking forward to a great 2025 and wishing same for All
Hi, Ilana!!🙋🏽♀️ I am a new subscriber. I will be going on my 1st cruise later this year, for my 60th birthday (Better late, than never)😁. I just want to thank you for all the information you share in your videos. They have been a great benefit to me. I was a little nervous, but I feel more confident as I prepare for this cruise. I love your videos. Thanks again.
Let the people who booked your cruise it is for your birthday. NCL gives goodies in the cabin, and a cake in dining room. You can do this also for special occasion. Go to alaska between mid june, all july At least on ncl, it is a relaxing peaceful cruise.
Btw, No smoking should be the entire ship. Full stop. Many states and public buildings in the US are this way. Don't know why a cruise ship can't facilitate. Smoking in the casino SUCKS! considering you have to walk through the casino to get to the dining room(s)
I have been on a ship when there was a fire on board that started on a balcony. Now of course they said they didn’t know how it started 🙄. It was terrifying being woken up at 3.30am with those sirens.
The chair hog policy needs too be implemented on all ships especially on sea days. Going out and all of the chairs covered in towels with no one around is annoying.. Had to lay out on the most secluded out of the way area because of that.
I wonder if the RC 'multi usb only' rule has something to do with power consumption? There's only a certain amount of power onboard and as more and more passengers are demanding more and more power to charge their devices, maybe RC are looking ahead and preventing a problem before it happens?
I was on a RC cruise the last week of December 2024. I was allowed to bring a European converter, non-serg protect cube on ship. It was to give me more 120v outlets and USB outlets. The cabin stewart would unplug it if my husband left a USB Lightening cable plug in. Even if it wasnt charging anything.
As for #11, I get it. There is enough food to choose from: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and (on at least some lines) afternoon tea. So only getting two main dishes at a meal is not a big deal.
My wife and I have seen many people place a few items on pool area chairs before they/and we went to breakfast and we don’t see them come back to the chairs until late morning or even until after lunch. We like the idea of chair hog time limits. We hope they are enforced.
Hi Illana! Great video ☺️👍🏽 My friend and I called RC a few months ago to ask some questions. One was about the Drink Package: Does EVERYONE in the same Cabin/Suite HAVE TO purchase it because she doesn’t drink that much, And the response was, NO. So, it really doesn’t hurt to ASK 😉👍🏽 Hugs from Colorado 🏞️🌄🌌🥰🤗
Hi Ilana, these all seem reasonable except I'm a little annoyed by the water bottle ban. I have the drink package but getting water can be a pain. Viking brings you filtered water daily which wa great and cuts down on waste. The one that you didn't include was some cruise lines only doing once a day housekeeping. I haven't cruised those lines that have, but thats a big deal. Having a clean roo. To retire to at the end of the evening is part of what makes cruising special...
We just returned from a cruise where we had only one service a day, while we were off the ship. Not once did we see our steward. Normally we give them an extra tip but this was the first time leaving nothing. Our friends had an excellent steward, towel animals, clean room. We arrived to dirty dishes every day so I started putting them in the shower so they would be exchanged or removed. It was the first time we were truly disappointed in a cruise (we've been on 9)
All of these rules actually seem totally sensible and well thought out and will ultimately benefit everyone. Imagine the opposite, no rules lol. Chaos, waste, hazards.
On our 2024 MSC Christmas cruise our non surge protected power bar was confiscated...avoid bringing one, was a real pain to get our luggage and it was past 10pm before we were made aware to go down to security to retrieve luggage after they removed the power bar...they did return it upon disembarking
We have taken drinks into the hot tubs. Nobody has said not to. Chair hogs are getting our of control. On our last cruise, I watched a lady put her stuff on chairs and left. She never showed up later, and I wasn't going to wait and see how long it would be.
Excellent point. My late mother was a school teacher and every Christmas, she would bring home sacks of gifts from her students (since she taught 2nd grade, the mothers provided really good gifts!). There were always some homemade treats but we were never allowed to eat anything from certain families. You can imagine why.
@ Retired teacher here as well. I learned from other teachers not to eat homemade food. When I left, bake sales were sealed food donations or purchased in bulk by the PTA.
If I notice a towel or item on a chair and no person has sat there as I leave and walk pass I remove the item and place it near the trash.... 40 minutes is too long it should be 15 minutes maximum...
These videos are so awesome. Seriously every time we watch a video we go straight to the Royal Caribbean site and see what is available. Thank you for taking all the time to create these videos, it really helps.
If you are strength training (getting strong) or bodybuilding (aesthetically building big muscles for show) and have a low percentage of body fat your body will require upwards of 3000 calories to just maintain. Also, if you eat a meat-heavy low carb high protein diet with your strength training then you will definitely need to be putting away more of those kinds of calories. It takes a lot more food to get to 3000 calories if you are eating lower-calorie food. Now I am a woman, so 3000 might not even be enough for a much bigger man. I do strength training, and it is super hard for me to get enough calories in because of the amount of food it requires me to eat every single day. That said, I think she said that you can have a second plate of food. You can also eat and leave for a while and then go to the buffet to grab those extra calories afterward if you are still shot on calories. I guess I could eat more times per day too, although I prefer to do restricted-time eating aka intermittent fasting. For a week or two, I could eat a bit more often.
Love your videos! Just found your channel last weke and have been bunge watching here and there, and I also just subscribed. Of all the items on your list, the drink package irks me the most. I will be traveling with a friend that cannot drink (not just alcohol, but no sodas or juices as well), but if I or the other friend in our group wants the drink package, we would have to order it for the non-drinkkng friend as well. I understand that they made this rule because people abused the packages before, and I hate that. RC said we could purchase individual packages on board the ship, but of course that will be at the premium price aith no discount, I'm sure...and it also means time spent in a line while on vacay 😢
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Single best thing they could do to improve the cruise. Ship experiences ban black people
Hope they continue to monitor chair hogs at pool. It is tough for pool deck workers tho. Saw it on Holland Amer cruise. People that had their items moved gave crew a hard time. But they had been away for more than an hour during busy, crowded time.
You’re right
... I enforce it myself... bahahaha
People go off for lunch and expect their chair to be saved. No right!
There needs to be some turn over of seating at pools but the problem stems from lack of capacity in popular areas. They want the revenue from 4000-6000 passengers but comparatively small pool areas etc….
I've heard that people will go out early in the morning and put their stuff in a bunch of chairs then go back to their rooms
Routers can't interfere with navigational signal, that's nonsense! The real reason is that they want to charge more Wi-Fi fees!
That's what I figured. The interference argument is like saying a cell phone will make the TV spaz out.
They are a business and the best business model is to make money
@@billybenson3834 - I don't like paying for the most basic amenity. It's like being charge extra to use the toilet, take a shower, or use the heat or A/C in my cabin. Wi-Fi should be included!
Yup. Anyone who knows anything at all about wi-fi and the spectrum bands within which it operates knows that the "navigational interference" line is pure BS (this goes for wi-fi on airlines as well). This is just another ploy to prevent guests from avoiding the cruise lines' extortionate wi-fi service charges.
Its not about navigation signals, their router may cause interference with the ship's wifi network
Love, love, love the chair hog monitoring! So many times we see pool lounge chairs saved and nobody using them for hours. I wish resorts would be more strict with this policy as well.
🎉🎉Happy New Year 🎉🎉
@@sherholubowich9627 happy new year!
Table hogging in the buffet area is a menace also
Hi, former Royal Caribbean employee and contractor here. answer for the power bar here: the electrical systems on their ships are ridiculously delicate. The power bars will spark a fire or short out your whole cabin upon plugging it in. I've seen it happen. Banning power bars is an electrical fire prevention rule.
I don't get the original ban on surge protected devices. Surely they are far safer than non- protected extensions?
Surge protection is designed to protect devices from over voltage, not for human safety.
I can certainly understand the boombox ban. Back in the mid-90’s we were on a cruise where we could not enjoy the pool deck because of the competing boomboxes blaring music, with every box playing different music at max volume. It was absolute chaos.
@@susanwestfall2051 makes sense
We had boombox spoiling our peace from neighbouring balconies
Let’s add enforcing “NO kids in the hot tubs!”
lol I’m not sure when that’s happening 😂
Everytime I say this i get slack from most parents. They love their kids in hot tubs that are ment for adults.
This has happened to me as well. The hot tubs were full of kids not behaving and we could never find a time they weren't there. It made the adult area hot tub full all the time so we just didn't get to go in a hot tub last cruise.
I totally agree with No Kids in the Hot Tubs. The last cruise I was on there were kids (aged 8-12) constantly in the hot tub and the parents didn't care. So many Adult passengers wanted to use the hot tub. I got fed up and just Got into the hot tub.....the kids did not like the Old Lady in the hot tub and so they all got out Yay!
Fully agree! Seen it too many times!
A classic hot tub issue we had.. not in the adults hot tub though… our 10 y/o son was in the main pool , that hot tub was somewhat attached to the pool.
The tub was full of drunk/drinking people, next thing I knew something went flying from the tub area into the pool.
That ‘Something’ was a beer can and it HIT my son in the head! The tub people thought it was so funny🤬
STAFF didn’t do a dang thing about it too!!
I took my first cruise as an adult on the Icon of the Seas in December. I purchased so many of your recommended cruise must-haves before I went. I also met so many people from around the world, but one lady I met, we were talking and I was telling her about your UA-cam page and she watches you also!!! Thank you for all the good information you give about cruising.
@@cherry-cherry1412 that’s so funny! I hope you had an amazing cruise 🛳️👏
The reason for banning routers is to avoid sharing wifi and be able to connect more than one device at the time. Nothing to do with security.
Chair hogs …. One of my pet peeves. I was on a Carnival cruise last January. My friends and I were on an upper deck enjoying the view, sun and chatting. Chairs with items on them were unattended for nearly 2 hours. Ugh
@@Grumplyoldlady Ugghh
This past summer, I was on Explorer of the Seas and on the first day, the captain made the following announcement: "Keep in mind that the chairs around the pool are MY chairs and I say you cannot reserve them." Great captain!
I completely agree with the limit on food at dinner. I watched a woman order 5 entrees and take 2 bites of each. When questioned she said, I paid for it. Ridiculous. People like her need rules because they have no morals
@@kenyabee9448 uggh ya that’s too much
Thank you! Morals and integrity are still important and always will be!!
kind of disagree. Yes they paid for it. you pay for all inclusive when on a cruise. I could understand like a clean plate rule, where you can get unlimited food as long as you are finishing most of the plate, but an outright limit means they should be charging less.
They should offer 1/2 or 1/4 entrees for this purpose
And lemme guess: she made Mama Cass Elliot look like Twiggy by comparison.
The boombox ban is great as far as I’m concerned. Mainly because at night if a neighboring cabin plays their music late or all night, it is hard to sleep.
if its too loud, you're too old
@budguy21 if I can hear it three or four doors down then you're too deaf.
I am sooooooo happy to hear this regarding chair saving! Best news!😊
We just sailed with a couple who both use Cpap machines. There were no outlets near the bed. They had packed one extension cord but had to request another from the steward. I can't imagine banning extension cords for medical equipment
We recently brought extension cords without surge protectors for Oxegen machine and Cpap on Royal. They put them through testing and allowed us to bring it on board. They have to have strict rules about this for fire and safety. Going forward we will be using what the ship provides. Tavel agent also informs them we are bringing the equipment. No big deal. 🛳️ **If their cords were banned possibly they were not safe to use on the boat.
The cruise ships provide extensions if you ask.
Its because they need to be tested for safety. The other problem is so many people are bringing half their house and trying to plug it in, it overloads the electrical system on the ship
My husband and I both use CPAP machines. We were told the ship would provide an extension cord, as only one side of the bed had a plug. Imagine our surprise when the cord provided was a surge-protected extension cord!
It is sad that all these bans have to be implemented because some people just do not care about their fellow human beings. Never fails that someone will do something to ruin it for the rest of us.
You expect 4,000 people to obey every rule? A cruise ship is a floating reflection of society.
@@artistjjebsenprecisely. Society needs to do better.
LOVE the chair hog policy! If it works, will remain to be seen.
@@rebeccarawlings1757 👏👏
If you must pay the “gratuity” fee, it is NOT a gratuity. Gratuities are given for exceptional service only.
Absolutely. It's a service charge so just call it that.
STAY HOME
Remove the gratitudities immediately...tip direct..if warranted
@@ICONICPARISRUDE
@@Barry-k4c how are you going to tip the chef, the guy who washes the plates, the butcher, the laundry attendant, the cleaners ect, i do personally think the fares should just increase the $20 a day and not be called any charge, what they then call that wages , tips, grats internally i do not care, however it may be done the way it is for tax reasons.
Carnival's price increase for water is my most hated change. Carnival said their policy of not allowing guests to bring bottles of water onboard was offset by the low pricing of water onboard, but that has changed. Carnival has massively increased the price of water bottles to an outrageous price.
I paid $48 for a case of water. 24 bottles! Outrageous!!!
That's why I now take cans of still water
I found canned water on Amazon, I hope that's allowed.
Water is available in cans now. We have no problem bringing a case of still water on board. I always bring a reusable water bottle as well
Love the transparent pricing, there’s been a few occasions where I’d start to book a cruise and by the time they added all the hidden fees on I said forget it, to expensive.
I remember trying to book a flight to Hanoi and had the same experience. My mum found $50 flights to Vietnam and we both had valid passports so decided to go over a long weekend. The fees kept piling on for seat selection, taxes, luggage, and had multiple legs. By the time the ticket got to $500 each we hadn’t finished the booking process and gave up.
Let's be real the real reason they are banning cases of water is so they can charge you stupid amount for bottles on the ship.
Anti chair hog enforcement is a blessing!
I don't really have an issue with any of these since I can understand the "why" that may have caused each change. Maybe I'm just easy-going, or I want the cruiselines to do what they need to and make sure it stays a viable affordable vacation choice!🤗
Part of the reason they are not allowing multi plugs is the receptacles they have in the cabins can handle so many amps , so when you add a multi plug you have a possibility of increasing the load that the cabin receptacles can handle.
Makes sense.
On #11, the food limit. I think it has to do with people ordering many items and then sample them and leave most as waste. Honestly you also see this with drinks where people take a sip and walk away and order something else as well. I would actually think it is better to rules that if you order more than 1 item from each part of the menu and leave it mostly untouched you will be charged a fee for wastage. Similarly in the buffet where you see people piling on food and only eat a part of it. All that waste is a cost and drives up the price for all the guests.
@@robbroere1384 that’s a good point. I’ve also seen this
Dietary reasons. I can’t eat very many carbs or sugars anymore. This eliminates most sides that come with meals. I like to order 2 entrees, like grilled chicken and a steak, And maybe two appetizers A salad and a shrimp, cocktail.
this, putting a limit on the food is just kind of scammy. You paid for it as part of the cruise. A fee like they do in some buffets for leaving behind food would be a much better solution. And for the samplers who like to use the restaurant to try new foods maybe offer a sampling platter as an option.
There are many solutions they could have tried but the limit is just them trying to cut costs without cutting your costs.
@@TimmiehereDietary reasons naturally are valid and if explained. I do not think will be an issue as you skip other parts of the offering.
This is what THEY said passenger can do. Is it wasteful, perhaps. But when you’re on vacation, one you paid for, you are in a different wasteful mindset.
I definitely appreciate the transparent fees
No drinks in the pool maybe because drunk people tend to get sloppy and spill their drinks. I’m pretty sure if that happens they have to drain the pool and refill it. I’m just speculating though. 🥰
Gifting homemade food to your cabin staff is just weird.
It depends on what you gift them. If it's your grandma's lime jello sauerkraut mold, then yeah, that's definitely a gift that would make the recipient think that you hate them.
We just got back from a Southeast Asia cruise on Celebrity and their was a picture taken of a "chair hog" and posted it on the Facebook page for our trip, there was a towel draped over both chairs, a book on one and a hat on the other. Someone did report it to the steward, as it had been hours before anyone came around, the steward basically said, they can't remove any "personal" items from the chairs...other people commented and said, "they would throw the items overboard!"...lol...
I have actually used chair hog chairs. I just put their belongings under the chair. No one has ever questioned me. I am ready with a polite comeback if they do appear though
The last cruise we were on, one of the other diners ordered everything on the menu. “Because she wanted to try it all”. She took one bite of everything - it was extremely wasteful. PS - she criticized everything. Now, I want on one with 4 others, we all ordered different things and shared. That worked well.
The old addage, the small few ruin it for all
I am glad they are using dogs. When sitting on my balcony, someone was smoking weed.I don't want to smell that crapp.
We were on Freedom OTS with RCCL last November, and the pool side waiters back in the Solarium area actually delivered drinks to us in the pool.
We don't really drink much alcohol but I do like soda and my husband doesn't. So it's a pain that we both have to buy a package. The last couple cruises we didn't even get a drink package at all. Cheaper that way.
I got talked into a drink package on my last cruise. It was the first time I ever got one - same for the friend who went with me. We both quickly realized that it would have been cheaper for us to buy our own drinks. I don't know how anyone can drink enough to justify it.
I love to see those dogs working so seriously. As for some of these changes, they make sense, but many are just for the purpose of maximizing revenue.
@@philbikes1931 interesting point
I just want to thank you for all of your content. After watching you and a few other channels, I have FINALLY booked my first cruise! 🎉 I will now be seriously binge watching all of your content for more tips and tricks. It’s nice to get the information from a fellow Canadian. Again, thank you!
@@karenpolansky9097 that’s awesome!! Thanks for your comments & let me know if you have questions (they often become videos) 🇨🇦🛳️🎉
Hello, Ilana! Wishing you and your family a blessed 2025!
Thank you!! Happy new year to you as well 👏
There's also a 4-Hour period from 2:30 a.m. until 6:30 a.m. on the Carnival cruises that you can't get anything to eat without paying to order room service
My husband and I took my parents on a cruise and my dad's most memorable moment was when he got 3 lobsters at dinner!! He got one, and I asked for another for him. He was ecstatic!! I saw so happy he was that I gave him my lobster!! He was like a little kid in a candy store!
We never use cruise pools or hot tubs, you know people can’t drink for hours with out having g to pee. And rarely do we see people getting out. The whole thing grosses me out.
Me too. Never.
100% agreed also. I mentioned that in another channel as well. I went on a cruise and saw the same people for along time in the hot tub drink and never getting out. Nasty.
Swim up bars gross me out for that reason. 🤢
I can understand why they don’t want drinking in the pool. The drinks can easily be spilled into the pool. Yet, I was on the MSC Meraviglia this past November. I was in the first row of lounge chairs next to the pool. I was lounging while reading a book and drinking a cup of coffee. Security told me I couldn’t drink anything by the pool. So I had to step aside just a few feet over to finish my coffee. Meanwhile, the people in the lounge chairs directly behind me were eating a full breakfast with drinks and nothing was said to them. So, that made no sense.
@ how was sailing on MSC? I heard good things.
I kind of get the "no sharing drinks" rule for things like alcohol.... But if I am getting a smoothie, and my 4 year-old wants a sip of it, i'm gonna let him have a sip of it.
I'm not gonna pay for an entire drinks package for a 4 year old who only wants a sip of my juice
That’s not a problem. Honestly I think some people probably very blatantly abuse it.
Good point!! .. It's very traditional (in all cultures) especially for MOMS, to share with little kids,
....Cruises try to make you pay for a "minors drink package" from age 3 ad up .. this should be a higher age .. like maybe 9 or 10 ...
That's not the sharing they mean. They DON'T want people ordering a drink, then coming back in 5 minutes and ordering another for their partner. That's why limits are in place too.
The unopened alcohol beverages is ridiculous. Previously we have enjoyed a closed beer from our mini refrigerator in our cabin. We pay the extra money for those drinks and should be able to consume when and where we like.
I agree
This is a good point, It would be easy to implement, Diamond Level passengers could have separate drink rules .... then regular "drink package" customers, for example.
The rule is absolutely ridiculous. It has taken years for us to reach Diamond plus status and now they're acting like big brother and limiting us. If we want to spill our drink down the sink that should be our perogative. Anyway we should be able to get our drinks anytime and take them anywhere we want without being treated like a first grader
@@markberman2189Agreed!!
I would think if you paid extra for them, you would be able to take them anywhere you wanted 🤔
I had to rescue a man on a scooter when he was trying to get passed the cleaning supplies from the cabin stewards. He couldn’t get around it, so I was able to jostle the supplies to help him get down the aisle.😊
I just take a few packaged items for dietary reasons and emergency snacks. Works great for embark and disembark days.
Scooters do not belong in the hallways! My husband uses a folding power wheelchair and it is impossible to go down the hallway with scooters there. I have had to knock on doors asking them to move the scooter.
I like to gamble and I was on the Carnival Liberty out of NOLA this past May and last month for 7 night cruises. One thing I noticed was there were a LOT more security guards in the casino on this past trip. One rude action some people will do is play one machine and hold the machine beside it so no one else can use it. I saw one couple get escorted out cursing because of doing this and I had another lady ready to fight over someone asking to play a machine that she was "saving". Also, had a lady arrested for being caught using counterfeit money to play. We will be cruising again in April out of Jacksonville and we will see what happens.
Food limits in the MDR makes sense for many reasons. If you need more food, go up to the buffet!!
@@diannebrideson2368 interesting point
Exactly!! That is he REASON buffets were invented!! :)
sometimes you save your appetite for the escargot and don't want buffet food.
@@pariwinklz Exactly! I want to try new things on the cruise that I would not try here at home, at in the MDR is where I take the chance to do that. I want to try that weird fancy food as I payed for it and if I don't like it or the sides, ect now I only have 2 times to get it right b4 being charged more money. I dont want to eat the buffet, I can do that at home far cheaper.
They just need to get the people breaking all these riles, Im so tired of all these changes. We have not been on a cruise since 2019, and been so many changes it seems since then :(
@@BelindaSyjud this is why they should have a fee for not finishing a bunch of plates at one sitting and at the same time should have a sampler platter of the dishes on offer that night. People like to sample a variety of the dishes just to try them, so instead of limiting just make a new menu item to service those people.
The fact they went straight to a plate limit says they are trying to reduce their own costs without reducing the cruisers cost. Its scummy cooperate greed.
Recently returned from a Celebrity Constellation Cruise. The Casino was smoke free. Keep the smoke outside.
Amen sister!!!!!!!!!!!❤❤❤
@@nancykerstetter1952 love a smoke free casino
Thank you for all the updated videos about cruising. Every time I watch your videos I am dying to get on a cruise.
As a certified pool operator I can tell you that pool water is not normal water. There are chemicals like chlorine that kill pathogens but there are other chemicals added so that the water feels good to your skin and is not damaging to your skin. Other chemicals are added to ensure that the water does not damage the pool or the pool equipment. So, if you or a bunch of you spill your drinks in the pool water it becomes difficult for the operator to balance the chemistry. The pool I operate has a no drinks, food or smoking around the pool. If someone throws up or defecates in our pool it will probably be closed for 3 days while we deal with the contaminates.
Cruise ships use seawater to fill the pools every morning and empty them in the middle of the night when they are not in use. They can't be using that many chemicals and dumping them into the ocean when they are done. I don't know if they circulate the water during the day to keep it cleaner, but lots of pools these days are salt water. I am pretty sure that spilling a bunch of alcohol into the pool with small children in it is not good. Also, it forces adults to not occupy the pool all day and circulate in and out of the pool.
@@RiverWoods111 considering the volume of the Pool, the spilled alcohol is irrelevant, eben if we talk about newborns (which hopefully, we are not)
@@RiverWoods111Yep! All of the ships I’ve been on close off the pool deck, dump and filter in sea water every night.
Sniffer dogs are at lots of NZ ports to prevent foodstuffs being taken from ship to shore.
Numerous power bars can overload the system on the ships. Rooms have a specific amount of electricity that is routed to each rooms.
No drinks in a pool because they get spilled into the water.
Princess still did (last year) steak and lobster one night on a cruise.
Our 2 week Princess Cruise in December had 2 formal nights but no lobster dinner. It was offered at the bottom of the dining room menus for a $39 charge.
Speaking from a service industry perspective ( bartender for 10+yrs) the open bottle policy is so minors aren’t given alcoholic beverages in the cabin or sharing free drinks with someone who may have been cut off by bar staff for already being over intoxicated. # 11 rule is strictly because if a beverage is spilled in the pool its contamination liability.
That’s for giving us the inside scoop
I sailed with Costa Cruises, They did monitor sun loungers around the decks, and if unoccupied for an hour all goods TOWELS/BOOKS/GLASSES/ ETC were removed and could be collected from, a central area When you returned and found your lounger occupied by A.N.OTHER :-)
It's so gross when people offer homemade food. How clean is their kitchen? Are they a hoarder? Do they lick their fingers when cooking? People need to just STOP this behavior because no one wants your scary mystery food.
I can tell you the water bottle thing has a loop. If you call the cruise line, ask to bring the case of water as it's a medical reason they do allow it. I took a cruise in Nov on Royal Caribbean and had no problem bringing a case in a carry on as requested. We are doing the 22 day cruise in Sept on Carnival so I'll let you know!
One thing I wish cruise lines would STRICTLY enforce, Ilana, is hygiene in the hot tubs/pools. On my first cruise of 2024, aboard Navigator OTS, I was relaxing in a hot tub, on the top deck, when four college aged kids, came in. On one of the boys backs, were many nasty pimples, and a female friend of his, started statching them, and rinsing her hands in the water. This is a MAJOR health issue. I reported it to several crew members, and asked that they drain and disinfect it. They did not do anything.
Chair hogs, great news. Mostly on cruises you can’t get a chair, for hours. ❤️🇨🇦
The rule that impacts me the most is the one where everyone in the suite needs the drinks package. I travel with my wife and child, and I have even gone on a short trip with just my child. My wife doesn't drink. My child doesn't either, obviously. I cannot justify the cost of a package for all three of us when only one can partake/imbibe. So, for all of my cruises, I just buy drinks onboard. Best deal is the "oil can" Fosters for $10 (plus 18% mandatory gratuity for handing the can to you) for a total of $11.80. It's more than double, at 750mL, the size of a normal beer, 355mL...that's 25.2 vs 12 oz for those who don't understand metric.
I've never heard of any cruise line that requires purchasing an alcoholic drink package for guests in the cabin under 21. They may force you to purchase a soda package (since you get sodas as well with the alcoholic packages), however those are significantly less expensive.
@@jasongill6979 On Princess Cruises, one of the packages that gets sold is called "Princess Plus". That includes gratuity, drinks and wifi for $60USD per person, per day. It is a set price. If you decide to get it, *everyone in the suite* needs to get it. Everyone includes children.
@@jasongill6979If you need specifics, on Princess Cruises, there are two packages. Both include wifi, gratuities and drinks. Plus is $60 per person per day. Premier is $90 per person per day. The problem is that everyone in the same room needs to get the package. So, for my family of three, Plus is $180 per day and i am the only one who drinks. It never makes sense for my situation.
Its crazy that at the higher levels of loyalty RCCL give you 4-5 drinks a day complimentary. I wish CCL would up their perks for us higher tier cruisers. I mean like even 5 free drinks for the whole cruise for Platinum and like 1 free drink a day for Diamond.
Sniffer dogs are regularly used at ports in Australia at embarkation and sometimes at disembarkation.
@@wendyfromoz4480 very interesting
@@LifeWellCruised This is one comment of you I didn't understand. Of course sniffer dogs are now more present in cruise terminals for detecting illegal substances. And marijuana is not federally approved nor in some other countries. Cruise ships pass through international water so of course they have to adhere to it.
@@Gybing i had never seen them in the terminal at embarkation - this was on my 40th cruise, so I can only share from this perspective. I never said they don’t use them or shouldn’t
The chair hogs are so annoying.We've seen this on many, many cruises. Take the towels off and return them. Then they have to figure out how to get their money back. Hardly ever seen it enforced.
I was on a RCL a few years back, deck 11 balcony. Between my cabin and the stairs, elevators two "scooters" wheelchairs in the hall.. Muster drill failed because those things are heavy. An we couldn't move them. The handicapped passengers were relocated in the interest of safety
That’s a good point
15:09 no rule #11 on Viking. Plenty of lobster on surf and turf night too.
thanks for this we are heading out on our first cruise soon great videos!
On Virgin Voyages, you can share your bar tab as much as you want. Also, no need to bring on cases of water because still and sparkling water are included and are supplied to your cabins in carafes.
That's because Virgin have a totally different way of "buying" drinks. You load your card and pay for drinks, so if you choose to buy someone a drink that's fair enough. They don't do packages.
@ They also give you free bar tab with certain promotions. We have been on 12 Virgin Voyages. On our next one, transatlantic from San Juan to Barcelona, we have $700 free Bar Tab and $700 free Loot (can be used for drinks, gift shop, excursions, tattoos, spa, whatever).
If you spill drinks or pee in the water the chemical balance goes out pf whack and it's very hard to rebalance. And when you are in the middle of the ocean its hard to dump the whole thing and refill.
The smoking part I agree and it it should be having a certain area of boats that people can so it won’t blow over to other people who don’t smoke and not enjoy their time
Good point
Unfortunately, they allow smoking in the casinos onboard. I avoid onboard casinos as a result.
@@LifeWellCruised one time about a year ago, people were smoking on the balcony next to us… I reported it to the cabin steward. When he knocked on their door, the man got up, left his cig burning on the table , answered the door saying ‘oh no we aren’t smoking ‘🤯
Then the steward came back to my door I quietly walked him to our balcony door so he could smell for himself!
The steward called Security, when they showed up the fool next to us TOSSED the cig over the rail and went to answer the door!
I think there was a fine he had to pay.
@@LifeWellCruised Honestly they should ban smoking. I don't think people realize what it is like for someone with asthma to get a whiff of smoke from someone smoking. I don't care about them vaping in special areas because that doesn't cause me to have an attack. Also seems a little safer than having lit cigarettes on ships, because God knows smokers don't know how to put them out properly. They throw them lit on the ground and walk away.
I know for people with health issues, cigarette smoke is hazardous and it should be limited to certain area, but what's worse is people smoking on balconies. And when security comes, they try to eliminate the evidence by tossing over the rail? That is fire hazard! The cigarette butt can land on another balcony and start a fire! I am more concerned about that on the cruise. I'd rather have them smoke in their state room than on balcony.
I would like to see non alcoholic drinks pkg to include specialty coffee or teas
I wish they could enforce the "no smoking on your balcony" better. It's incredibly stinky for those of us downwind. We complained but they couldn't catch the people in the act, and they did it night after night. Drug addiction is a terrible thing, and I feel sorry for those with addictions, but that doesn't mean the rest of us should have to suffer.
Yes I agree. Nobody is telling them to stop smoking, just do it in the authorised areas - not on your balcony!
Celebrity does not allow cruise approved multi plug outlets. Mine was confiscated in Ft. Lauderdale.
I have found that most evenings much of the dining menu is available on the lido buffet. One just has to walk to get it.
Happy new year cruisers 28 days til our first cruise ever sun princess can't wait thank you illana we have enjoyed your content since we first booked very helpful looking forward to a great 2025 and wishing same for All
Yay!! I hope you have an amazing cruise! Lots of fun during this final countdown 🎉
How much it would cost to have a birthday party on a cruise 🛳
Hi, Ilana!!🙋🏽♀️ I am a new subscriber. I will be going on my 1st cruise later this year, for my 60th birthday (Better late, than never)😁. I just want to thank you for all the information you share in your videos. They have been a great benefit to me. I was a little nervous, but I feel more confident as I prepare for this cruise. I love your videos. Thanks again.
Let the people who booked your cruise it is for your birthday. NCL gives goodies in the cabin, and a cake in dining room. You can do this also for special occasion. Go to alaska between mid june, all july At least on ncl, it is a relaxing peaceful cruise.
The barman opening your to-go beer bottle in no way affects sharing with minors. Therefore, that excuse is BS.
Btw, No smoking should be the entire ship. Full stop. Many states and public buildings in the US are this way. Don't know why a cruise ship can't facilitate. Smoking in the casino SUCKS! considering you have to walk through the casino to get to the dining room(s)
I have been on a ship when there was a fire on board that started on a balcony. Now of course they said they didn’t know how it started 🙄. It was terrifying being woken up at 3.30am with those sirens.
I as a former smoker like the restrictions on smoking.
I smoke and I don't mind smoking in the designated areas. What ticks me off is when non-smokers walk through and make asinine comments.
Unless it’s NCL, I never order the drink package, it’s just easier for me to set a budget and watch my alcohol consumption without them.
The chair hog policy needs too be implemented on all ships especially on sea days. Going out and all of the chairs covered in towels with no one around is annoying.. Had to lay out on the most secluded out of the way area because of that.
I wonder if the RC 'multi usb only' rule has something to do with power consumption? There's only a certain amount of power onboard and as more and more passengers are demanding more and more power to charge their devices, maybe RC are looking ahead and preventing a problem before it happens?
I was on a RC cruise the last week of December 2024.
I was allowed to bring a European converter, non-serg protect cube on ship. It was to give me more 120v outlets and USB outlets.
The cabin stewart would unplug it if my husband left a USB Lightening cable plug in. Even if it wasnt charging anything.
As for #11, I get it. There is enough food to choose from: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and (on at least some lines) afternoon tea. So only getting two main dishes at a meal is not a big deal.
My wife and I have seen many people place a few items on pool area chairs before they/and we went to breakfast and we don’t see them come back to the chairs until late morning or even until after lunch. We like the idea of chair hog time limits. We hope they are enforced.
13:09 this is why I no longer cruise! So crowded!
Love the blue blouse you’re wearing in this video.
Hi Illana!
Great video ☺️👍🏽
My friend and I called RC a few months ago to ask some questions.
One was about the Drink Package: Does EVERYONE in the same Cabin/Suite HAVE TO purchase it because she doesn’t drink that much,
And the response was, NO.
So, it really doesn’t hurt to ASK 😉👍🏽
Hugs from Colorado 🏞️🌄🌌🥰🤗
These companies are profiting around $20B a year, there's no excuse for these cost cuts or the short staffing.
Hi Ilana, these all seem reasonable except I'm a little annoyed by the water bottle ban. I have the drink package but getting water can be a pain. Viking brings you filtered water daily which wa great and cuts down on waste. The one that you didn't include was some cruise lines only doing once a day housekeeping. I haven't cruised those lines that have, but thats a big deal. Having a clean roo. To retire to at the end of the evening is part of what makes cruising special...
We just returned from a cruise where we had only one service a day, while we were off the ship. Not once did we see our steward. Normally we give them an extra tip but this was the first time leaving nothing. Our friends had an excellent steward, towel animals, clean room. We arrived to dirty dishes every day so I started putting them in the shower so they would be exchanged or removed. It was the first time we were truly disappointed in a cruise (we've been on 9)
Your hair looks so pretty!
All of these rules actually seem totally sensible and well thought out and will ultimately benefit everyone. Imagine the opposite, no rules lol. Chaos, waste, hazards.
Good points
It’s really interesting to see how things are changing in the industry. Thanks for always sharing great info!
On our 2024 MSC Christmas cruise our non surge protected power bar was confiscated...avoid bringing one, was a real pain to get our luggage and it was past 10pm before we were made aware to go down to security to retrieve luggage after they removed the power bar...they did return it upon disembarking
We have taken drinks into the hot tubs. Nobody has said not to.
Chair hogs are getting our of control. On our last cruise, I watched a lady put her stuff on chairs and left. She never showed up later, and I wasn't going to wait and see how long it would be.
Cruising RCCL in June and your channel is very informative. Thank you.
Homemade doesn’t meet any health or sanitation standard.
Excellent point. My late mother was a school teacher and every Christmas, she would bring home sacks of gifts from her students (since she taught 2nd grade, the mothers provided really good gifts!). There were always some homemade treats but we were never allowed to eat anything from certain families. You can imagine why.
@ Retired teacher here as well. I learned from other teachers not to eat homemade food. When I left, bake sales were sealed food donations or purchased in bulk by the PTA.
If I notice a towel or item on a chair and no person has sat there as I leave and walk pass I remove the item and place it near the trash.... 40 minutes is too long it should be 15 minutes maximum...
Cruised last December on Carnival from Galveston. The sniffer dogs were on the gangway.
These videos are so awesome. Seriously every time we watch a video we go straight to the Royal Caribbean site and see what is available. Thank you for taking all the time to create these videos, it really helps.
@@cadmando18 love that!! lol thanks for watching
I don’t understand the complaints about restricting food. Does anyone really need that much food in one sitting?
If you are strength training (getting strong) or bodybuilding (aesthetically building big muscles for show) and have a low percentage of body fat your body will require upwards of 3000 calories to just maintain. Also, if you eat a meat-heavy low carb high protein diet with your strength training then you will definitely need to be putting away more of those kinds of calories. It takes a lot more food to get to 3000 calories if you are eating lower-calorie food. Now I am a woman, so 3000 might not even be enough for a much bigger man. I do strength training, and it is super hard for me to get enough calories in because of the amount of food it requires me to eat every single day. That said, I think she said that you can have a second plate of food. You can also eat and leave for a while and then go to the buffet to grab those extra calories afterward if you are still shot on calories. I guess I could eat more times per day too, although I prefer to do restricted-time eating aka intermittent fasting. For a week or two, I could eat a bit more often.
Love your videos! Just found your channel last weke and have been bunge watching here and there, and I also just subscribed. Of all the items on your list, the drink package irks me the most. I will be traveling with a friend that cannot drink (not just alcohol, but no sodas or juices as well), but if I or the other friend in our group wants the drink package, we would have to order it for the non-drinkkng friend as well. I understand that they made this rule because people abused the packages before, and I hate that. RC said we could purchase individual packages on board the ship, but of course that will be at the premium price aith no discount, I'm sure...and it also means time spent in a line while on vacay 😢