<p>fourkidsmom-
Is that the thing you hold out infromt of you and it helps you dive down into water? Kinda like a little jet propelled thing you hold in front of you It looks like fun!</p>
<p>*** edit** I just looked up the bob online. that isn’t what I was thinking of – that looks 10 times more fun!!!
<a href=“http://www.bobunderwateradventure.com/[/url]”>http://www.bobunderwateradventure.com/</a></p>
<p>18 here. Parents have taken myself and my brother on two Caribbean cruises and i’ve been on four total. I can easily recommend Celebrity. I’ve been on others and so have my parents. By FAR the best cruise line. Everything imaginable about it is great. Need any specifics, send me a PM.</p>
<p>-Jeff</p>
<p>“I’ve been on Carnival, Celebrity (RC’s more up-scale line), and some lesser carrier booked thru Apple Vacations. I don’t think Celebrity was any better than Carnival. Alaska is a little more about the scenery and touring, and the islands are more about the party and the booze cruise.”</p>
<p>Hahaha, that’s hilarious. I’ve been on both. Carnival is a DUMP compared to Celebrity. No offense to the Carnivalers out there. BTW, RC is a great line as well. More suited towards kids and a younger crowd.</p>
<p>Well 18 Jeff –</p>
<p>There was no discernable difference between Celebrity and Carnival for an Alaskan cruise except for cost, but I’m happy the booze cruise line gave you the hahas…</p>
<p>I did Celebrity to Alaska this summer. You’re quite naive if you think the difference between the two lines is only cost.</p>
<p>Watch out for bed bugs! I have heard that all the Cruise Lines have them…</p>
<p>all hotels have bed bugs too. the advice we heard a few months ago on the news is not to put your luggage on the bed to pack or unpack. That’s the way these bugs are travelling. Hopefully, none of us will ever get these little critters at any hotel or any cruise or any anywhere!</p>
<p>The Bob is great- but the thing you hold in front of you was fun too! It comes with a snorkel that when you bite it, a radio plays so you zoom along to the music underwater!</p>
<p>fourkidsmom-
Whats that thing called that you hold in front of you? It sounds fun too.
Bedbugs-- YUK!!!</p>
<p>I don’t remember, It’s the same thing that’s in Brookstone and Sharper Image catalogs- we just would have little use for it except on vacation living in land locked Kansas</p>
<p>My Mid just got back from four months at sea on a commercial RO-RO (Roll-on, Roll-off Ship) as part of his curriculum at Kings Point. He said it was a blast even though he was working and had academic projects to complete. </p>
<p>He said there are a number of freight companies that take a limited number of passengers with them. Freighter fares typically range from about $90-$130 per person per day, inclusive of all meals on board. Freighters do not offer any preplanned activities such as cruise ships do and mealtimes are the only daily structure. Most freighters offer an exercise room, swimming pool and TV for viewing a selection of video movies. On most ships it is possible to walk completely around the main deck and this is always a popular exercise pastime for passengers.</p>
<p>Freighter passengers enjoy contact with the officers and crew and often become part of the shipboard family. Many passengers have navy, coast guard or merchant marine experience and love the opportunity to get back to sea and be a part of a working ship. Time spent on the bridge and the ensuing conversations with officers are special experiences not possible on cruise ships where passengers in groups of 30 or more are given bridge tours. Most foreign flagged freighters are liberal with bridge visitation and unrestricted bridge visitation is not uncommon. With passenger loads typically from 2 to 12 passengers, lasting friendships are often formed between passengers and also with officers.</p>
<p>There are a bunch of web sites about this, here is one: </p>
<p><a href=“http://www.freighter-cruises.com/[/url]”>http://www.freighter-cruises.com/</a></p>
<p>Thanks so much for the great referral. My 12 year old wants to travel, and as she is homeschooled I keep promising!!! However, all the nice tours/trips seem so expensive if you want to go longer than the regular cruise line trips. Her older sister is at the AFA (also class of 09) and her sister really misses her. I thought the two of us could try something perhaps during the off season! Thanks again.</p>
<p>Thanks to all the helpful tips, and a few specific helpful cc’ers (thanks-- you know who you are!) we are getting ready to head off on our cruise. Any suggestions as to what kind of luggage we should use, aside from the carry-ons? It is our understandig that we’ll be storing the luggage under the beds. Roll-on duffels are easy, but clothes will wrinkle. Will regular sized suitecases fit under the beds? Is there room to store luggage in the closet?
Thanks all!</p>
<p>Different ships, different answers. If you go to cruise critic and do a post with the name of your ship in the title you can get very specific answers. I remember a list going around about things that you must have that I took to heart and overpacked. This link to the forum entitiled “First time cruisers” might help <a href=“http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=97[/url]”>First Time Cruisers - Cruise Critic Community; Have a wonderful cruise!</p>
<p>kathiep-
My new “other” “cc” forum is cruise critic! I’ve spent quite some time on there and have gotten to “know” several of the folks who will be on our ship. In fact, someone in this thread’s son is in the same dorm as someone coming on the ship! Small world, eh? I didn’t see a specific discussion of luggage for our ship (RCCL Mariner of the Seas) but will look again. I will ask the folks on my ship, but everyone here responds so much faster! Thanks!</p>
<p>I’ve done two conventional cruises and both times I hopped on cruise critic daily for a few months prior to sailing. We had wonderful luck finding guides for private tours at the ports of call forum and ideas on what to do when we didn’t want a tour. In fact, a friend went over to visit her son in Italy during his study abroad and she used a tour guide that I suggested (from cruise critic) for a walking tour of Florence.</p>
<p>We have used regular suitcases and yes, they slide under the bed. This time the kids are packing in duffles. They will share a hanging bag for those we don’t want to get wrinkled. I’m still not sure whether we as adults are taking suitcases or duffles. You need less clothes than you will take, that’s a given.</p>
<p>jym626, how did your cruise turn out? I’ve got two cabins on hold on the Mariner for this summer and am unsure whether to go ahead with it. This would be my first cruise. Please share any recommendations you’ve got and would you mind saying which agency you used to book it? I’ve heard back from a handful after listing it on CruiseCompete and don’t know whether to go with the agent who’s offering the most generous shipboard credits (but has never been on a cruise herself!) or the one who took the most time and seemed most knowledgeable but isn’t offering anything at all extra. Please help ASAP!</p>
<p>Worrywart-
We had a GREAT time on the Mariner!! We found the best price on vactionstogo.com (got a special rate bec. my h. is the military reserves) then called a friends travel agent at cruisesonly.com (PM me and I’ll give you her contact info). She added on an extra discount. The coupons she originally thought she had for us she coudnt get (the promo period ended), but I bought some coupons (and they more than paid for themselves) on ebay. Don’t forget to sign up for the “roll call” on cruise critic.com and get to know some of your fellow cruisers before you go. Hope this helps!!</p>
<p>Thanks for answering. I’ll PM you later.</p>