FionaMG

I don't think going on the same cruise is any different to going to the same vacation spot repeatedly and lots of people do that. DH manages some holiday flats and has guests who have been coming back every year for over 20 years. They pay their deposit for the following year when they check out. If you feel happy and comfortable with your choice then there's no reason why you shouldn't do it.

Is that the first sailing after she arrives from Europe? There can be delays in clearing a ship arriving on a TA, which would then have a knock-on effect on new passengers boarding. Perhaps they are allowing for that possibility. You can keep checking back in case anything earlier opens up.

I don't even know what a Buc-ees is.

Our flight from Lisbon is scheduled to land in Miami at 9.40 pm on a Wednesday. I'm wondering if we might struggle to get an Uber or Lyft to take us to Fort Lauderdale at that time of night? I'm sure we'd be able to get a taxi but I reckon that would be a lot more costly. We would like to go straight to Fort Lauderdale to get settled in for our 3-night pre-cruise stay but perhaps logistics mean we would be wiser to book a room near the airport for that night and continue to Fort Lauderdale the next morning? Thoughts, anyone? TIA.

With the hoho buses it's usually just a case of listening to the recording as you ride along. They do provide earphones although not of the best quality. The problem is, if the bus gets delayed at any point, the recording can be out of synch with whatever you're passing at any given moment. That said, I have always found them very useful to get an overview of the place you're visiting and generally consider them to be a better option than just aimlessly wandering. I guess it depends on whether you're there just for the day or have more than one day to play with. We embarked in Barcelona and did the Sagrada Familia visit on the morning of the cruise. We were in there probably for about 3 hours total and still didn't get to see everything before we had to leave to head to the ship. If you only have the one day and feel you have sufficient energy then it's probably worth trying to pack as much into the day as you can. After all, who knows when or if you'll get the chance to return.

After you pick a room, where you see the price you should see wording along the lines of "show prices per guest". If you click on that it shows you the full breakdown. The reason for the difference is what @AshleyDillo said.

I got my TA to add them on for me. If you booked direct, you should be able to call to add them on.

Hi. I just replied on your other post.

I haven't been to Cartagena so I will bow to the experience of the other posters who have. You definitely don't need an excursion in either Malaga or Barcelona as there is plenty to see and do in both cities and if you've not been to either before it would be a pity to miss out on their attractions. However, if you do feel the need, and unless you're planning on heading somewhere that's a long way from port, I would opt for an independent operator, such as the ones mentioned by @SMOKEY0202. I'm not familiar with Liv Tours but I have seen Spain Day Tours recommended numerous times. In Barcelona, there is a "cruise bus" that you can catch just outside the terminal and which takes you close to the bottom of the Rambla. From there you can stroll up the Rambla and into the Boqueria market. Alternatively, there will be plenty of taxis right at the port. If the Sagrada Familia is on your must-see list you need to book the tickets in advance. They go on sale several months in advance and sell out quickly, so keep checking back. You can choose from a self-guided audio tour or a tour with a live guide. Book your tickets on the official website here https://sagradafamilia.org/en/tickets I find the website below to be a fantastic resource for Barcelona as it has just about everything you could possbily need to know. The link takes you to their cruise port page but thereafter just use the menu on the left for other information. https://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.com/en/transport/barcelona-cruise-port.html You should definitely take a small amount of euros with you in cash for smaller purchases (such as a sandwich with jamón serrano in the market, yum) and for the cruise bus if you plan to use that as I believe you have to pay cash for the ticket.

To me, not being able to change the time and or day of a booking is a major gripe. That said, the couple of times I've needed to do it, it's been handled on board with no issues and no additional charges but, still, it shouldn't be so hard. We usually book boarding day lunch for 1 pm and although I have seen the restaurant be busy there have always been empty tables so I reckon you should be ok.

Piggy, Wiggly, Squeak Does anyone know if they have this machine on Anthem or Freedom? I want to play my free $6 on it just because of the piggies.

Being an older ship, wouldn't the 3/4 berth OV cabins on Rhapsody have pullman beds that come down from the ceiling? We had 2 adults and 2 kids in a room like that on Splendour and Explorer. Yes it was tight but those beds don't take up any additional floor space so they don't impede moving around in the cabin.

Yes, that is correct.

For history on the ship's doorstep, it has to be Lisbon. You literally walk off the ship and you're in the thick of it. So much to see and do you will not even scratch the surface. For Bilbao and the Guggenheim, you should not need an excursion. The ship ports in Getxo, not Bilbao proper, and the port authorities offer a shuttle service to Bilbao centre for €10 return. No need to book ahead. Turn up and pay at the bus. Information should be provided in the Compass/app regarding what time the first bus departs. Alternatively, you can walk (20 mins) to the metro and get that into Bilbao centre. That would be cheaper but more time consuming and less convenient. Once you're in the centre of Bilbao you can walk to the Guggenheim (if you're planning on going inside, check that it's actually open the day you're there. I think it's closed on Mondays). Another thing you can do in Bilbao is the funicular: https://funicularartxanda.bilbao.eus/en/home/. If you want to do this, I would suggest doing it first thing before it gets busy with tour groups and then you can do the Guggenheim afterwards. In La Coruña, the ship parks in the town centre. The Tower of Hercules is well worth a visit. You can walk to it from the ship in about 30 minutes or get a taxi. If you want to go up inside, it's €3 per person, free on Mondays. You have to get the tickets from the ticket office at the bottom of the ramp. Don't go up without a ticket or they'll send you back down again. Note that you still need a ticket on Mondays even though it's free. After visiting the tower you can continue on along the path beside the sea and it will eventually bring you back into town again (about another 30 minutes). There is a lovely beach there but I didn't notice if there were loungers and umbrellas. From here you can cut back through the town centre to the ship in about 10 minutes or longer if you get waylaid by the shops. Cadiz is another lovely town where you're handy for everything. It's a great place to stroll around, maybe try some tapas. There are beaches within easy walking distance. It's been a while since I was last there so again I don't know about loungers and umbrellas. One thing I can tell you is that the water will be a lot warmer in Cadiz than it will in La Coruña, since Cadiz is on the south coast and benefits from the influence of the nearby Mediterranean so this would be my choice for a beach day. Vigo, in my opinion, is probably the weakest of your ports. While we enjoyed wandering around there was nothing that really stood out for us. You might want to use this port as a springboard for visiting Santiago de Compostela. Royal will certainly be running an excursion, or you can try Spain Day Tours (I have not used them myself but I have seen lots of recommendations for their services) https://www.spaindaytours.com/spain-shore-excursions/vigo-shore-excursion/. You may also be able to DIY this by getting a train or a bus. You can check out the Lodge Guys on YouTube. They did a cruise on Anthem that called at two of your ports and I found their videos to be very informative. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX9ntEW18NNVhjjOXhTrcvBDJ0yVcSwou I hope this helps and you have an amazing time. Look after the ship for us as my daughter and I will be boarding on the 1st of September!

For once I actually have.