Overview: This is my second installment of my memories of cruising. I am doing this for my own sanity and to remind everyone of our positive times in the past and what the future might bring. During these troubling times with politics and a global pandemic, focusing on something we all consider to be positive is good therapy. Add in your comments of how or what you would do on your day-two when cruising. Lets have some fun with this and leave our negativity out. Try just to have fun in our thoughts.
Disclaimer: I am retired 63, a stroke victim yet healthy now, gone on 24 cruises, and spoiled to the core. My reference to the NCL Haven™ is not meant to show what I can afford or I am better than anyone else. It is just my personal favorite experiences. Truth be told, my best cruise was my first. That was 40 years ago, in the cheapest inside cabin on the SS Norway. It was my honeymoon and it was magical. My next cruise in the end of May 2021, will be my 41st wedding anniversary on the same cruise line, now called NCL with my Adult Children. A full circle over 40 + Years.
Day 2: Cruise Memories
06:45 AM: I just can’t sleep in today, just can’t. Shower and in-suite coffee on the balcony. All you can see and hear are lovely waves. This is what I have been waiting for all year.
07:30 AM: First Breakfast in the Haven Restaurant. We start with French Press Coffee, of course. Appetizer of smoked salmon from the side fresh buffet, those danishes are calling my name though. With a huge smile, I order my favorite Breakfast, Steak & Over Easy Eggs skip the potato’s. Whole wheat toast with grape jelly. At the end, I always get one single danish. I am trying to not gain my normal 10+ lbs. from this cruise. I am quite clear in my own mind, I will fail.
09:00 AM: Explore the ship. Even after 24 cruises, going deck to deck is so much fun for me. People are just getting up. Still easy to get an elevator and no real crowds in the main walkways. Important to me to find the cigar bar for later enjoyment and there it is next to the Mojito Bar. Also, where is the slot tournament to be held at 01:00 PM, priorities folks. Where is the gym and finally where all the hot tubs on board.
10:30 AM: Gym. 30-minutes on the treadmill. Attempt to allow a bit of those food calories to get used. I know by day three, the exercise will be doomed. All I can think about is going down those huge water slides and driving the electric go carts. My hope is the lines are not to long. On my way back to my suite, I hear that wonderful sound of metal drums by the main pool. The smile begins to become a part of my day, as it always does on past cruises. Entering my suite, my family asks where I have been. I tell them and they are disappointed I did not take them with me. What I see is none of them have even gotten out of bed yet.
12:00 PM: Lunch by the Haven Pool another favorite pastime. Time for the best cheese burger on any cruise ship. No bun, of course. Really, no bun. French Fries YES, bun no? My wife orders a bottle of wine and takes half of it goes back to the room. God love that upgrade to the Premium Plus Drink Package. My wife loves ordering a bottle vs. a glass. It is a vacation isn’t it. This was her plan and I support it. She loves wine in the suite for night time balcony viewing.
01:00 PM: Slot Tournament, my entire family is entered, it is a tradition. We learned to have a few drinks first, because it is so stressful. We always play and never win. This year, my wife whom never gambles makes it to round two. We are so proud of her and consider that a victory. Since I am in the casino anyway, where is that “Buffalo Gold” machine. I feel the cash leaving my wallet forever. Why do I watch those YouTube Slot Guru’s. They are not good for my pocketbook.
02:30 PM: A littler poorer yet still happy, I get ready for my first water slide experience. Every cruise I do the same thing. I find someone whom is a afraid to do the water slide, and talk them into doing it with me. My record for number of consecutive slides is 10. The issue are those darn stairs, I am no spring chicken anymore. All the kids think I am funny because I am as excited as they are to slide. My last victim was my wife who became a huge fan.
04:00 PM: Did I hear “BINGO” or was it “Deal or No Deal”. It is like a magnet for me. The crowds, the joy of watching someone WIN. I debate myself. Do I start drinking NOW or hold off until right before dinner. Hold off today, smart move. I go back to the suite through the casino watching a older woman (that is saying a lot, I am 63) get a jackpot on the machine that took all my money earlier. Happy for her though, kind of.
05:30 PM: There are some ship snacks waiting on the table in the suite, which is always different every day. Today it is those world famous chocolate covered strawberries. Time to clean up and dress for dinner and the show. My wife as usually, is looking at the sun burn she got sitting on the deck and saying, “I think I over did it a bit.” I notice she is in a very happy mood and the bottle of wine in the room is out. I ask her when she started drinking? She smiles and tells me, 12:00 PM, at lunch. Stupid question on my part. I am the light weight in my family on drinking. However, when I get serious, I am serious. Pre-Dinner drinks on the balcony, it is so lovely.
07:00 PM: Dinner tonight is a specialty restaurant. My habit is to go to the steak place the first night. Martini shaken not stirred, slightly dirty with two blue cheese stuffed olives. Shrimp cocktail, Fresh Bread with really good butter, Blue Cheese Wedge and a Rib Eye Medium Rare Plus. I am so full, I simply can’t eat all the fully loaded potato. Maybe a few bits. I have to sit for a while and have some Coffee with Baileys. I am feeling no pain and starting to relax a bit. New York Cheese cake is the finale. “There is cheating and then there is Cheese Cake!”
09:30 PM: I know I am tired because I would usually be in bed by now. The food, drink and excitement of the day is telling my body, pass on the show. I used to listen to myself, not anymore. I will get my second wind shortly and so will you. The show which on the first night is usually a production. We always sit in the last row on the end by the door. We have seen some fantastic and not so fantastic shows. We are not expecting much. Then the music starts and it is all Latin dancing. 90-minutes has never go so quick. This show was incredible. My wife for the first time was on her feet doing a standing ovation.
11:00 PM: This is when my wife and I start to argue. She wants to party some more, I want to chill in the room. Translation, go to sleep. I know her, the moment she hits the pillow, with the sun she got that day, add the food and drink, that is all she wrote. We get to the suite, on the desk are the passes for the excursion we are taking in the morning, I love that. Never gets old. I, just want to dream again about my next day’s breakfast of Steak and Eggs. Tomorrow I add a waffle I thing. We attempt to look at the agenda for the next day however never make it more then 10-minutes before the waves put us to sleep.
Perfect second day in my book.

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I’ll qualify this with the info that I came down with a cold the morning after embarkation, so maybe I’m just cranky but...
The crew definitely were not well trained nor knowledgeable. You’d ask the same question (for example where to smoke) and get vastly different answers. Definitely the least smoker friendly of the three ships I’ve been on.
Events would be rescheduled without notice, often moved up. The casino closed early and beverage service was practically non-existent unless you were at a high roller table.
Several staff at the service desk were downright rude. One sent a woman asking for lost and found for a missing wallet to end end of the line because he didn’t have access and refused to tag another crew to help. (The wallet was returned intact!)
The crew and medical staff were very slow to respond to medical emergencies, nor did they have first aid supplies readily available. One man had a seizure and then went into cardiac arrest, then died the day we left. This happened in the middle of Cagneys and other passengers were helping him while staff did not help. It took the doctor over 40 minutes to respond. The staff continued to seat and serve meals throughout.
Minibars were not restocked.
A small thing, half the ship got towel animals in their cabins, half did not - and about the same spilt for getting their account details under the door this morning.
Latitudes members were not given their discounts in the Photography shop.
This was my third NCL so I know not to judge them by this cruise, but I heard a lot of first timers say they’d never go on NCL again.
It’s too bad because Alaska was beautiful and what I could do whilst being ill was fun, but I won’t recommend this ship for sure.

I have a friend who has a gambling issue that she’s been working on. She’s self-excluded from all her local casinos but we want to go on an Alaska cruise (probably NCL) to celebrate six months of being clean. Since most ships have casinos, she asked me to make sure she’s not tempted. Is that an option with cruise ships?

Hey Reddit cruise community. I have been on many cruises with RCL, and use to go on DCL till they priced themselves out of my budget. I am an experienced cruiser and my wife's family has asked us to join them on an upcoming 7 day NCL cruise.
What are the the things that NCL does better, worse, or the same as RCL? What is your experience with the ship workers, guests, shows, food, activities...... I am not worried about ports or ships specifically, just your opinions. Thanks for your input in advance. Happy Cruising!

Curious if anyone has redeemed their LP for a cruise before.
I know you still need to pay the port fees and taxes but was curious if for example the 1million LP cruises would be for 2 adults (plus taxes/fees)
Thanks! Anyone other info would be appreciated.

My background: 22 past cruises, over 40 years, on multiple main stream as well as premium cruise lines; with my first cruise which was my honeymoon. My family and I has stayed in an inside cabin all the way up to the Owners Penthouse Suite in cruise line VIP sections. We have paid $500.00 per person all the way up to $5,000.00 per person. That foundation of information is what I am drawing from for this post.
First Time Cruisers: The most frequently asked questions on most cruise social media boards, “I am a first-time cruiser, what advise can you give me?” My advice is to take everything you hear and learn while you are researching your first cruise, with a grain of salt. This includes my comments as well. Everyone seems to have a favorite cruise line; a cruise line they hate with a passion; deep ceded opinions on everything from food, service, excursions, investments, how as well as who they book their cruise with and the new notion in main stream cruising of the VIP “Ship-Within-A-Ship” concept.
Your reality is, you have nothing to compare your first cruise with. You are an unmolded lump of clay. You are a cruise virgin. As long as your flight is not delay/cancelled, you don’t get sea sick, you don’t get something crazy like food poisoning and or you don’t get hurt somehow; your cruise will be a wonderful memory. As your life goes on, you will reflect on this first cruise with great warmth and gratitude. I know when I think of my first cruise, it was on the then Norwegian, SS Norway (Now called NCL). We had an inside state room, it cost $1,000.00 for both of us including and we thought the service, food, ship, activities and shows were over-the-top, GREAT. I am sure there were issues; however, a human’s mind can positively redesign our memories as PERFECT.
Just do your best to organize your thoughts; go with the flow; make your reservations are done early for dinner as well as shows; and don’t get to drunk on night one or night seven. Now that is some good advice.
Frequent Cruisers: The most frequently posted topics from folks like us, “Cruising just isn’t like it was in the OLD days.” I am 62 years old, I can’t remember the old days. I can’t even remember what I ate yesterday. Yet I have said those same words and meant them. I, like many others in this category of “Frequent Cruisers” are dealing with a psychological dilemma. This same dilemma happens whenever we buy material thing, every experience we have and every relationship we start. Our rating system is based on the last thing we got or did.
Therefore, if I had never cruised before, anything is better then what I know. Because I know nothing. Everything is fresh and new. Everything is exciting and just a little bit dangerous as well as scary. The anticipation of our first cruise was unbearable. When you are a frequent cruiser, these feeling, and emotions unfortunately are not as intense. Sorry, you can’t go back and get those same feelings again. That is why we start inching up in cabin class. First balcony, then mini-suite, suite, suite with a butler and finally the owner’s suite. We want more than we had the last time. Human nature at its worst.
This does not mean we all don’t absolutely love to cruise, quite the contrary. We just approach it with a much different approach and strategy. We want better food, service, shows experience, activities and relationships. Some of our expectations simply can not be met. This is when the real issues begin.
I read a lot of negative comments on Reddit referring to the people on CruiseCritics.com. The references are that those CruiseCritics.com folks are always so down on the MANY cruises they go on. They all come across as the “Most Important Person on the Cruise”. They establish themselves as the expert on everything and get angry when anyone challenges their high fluent attitude. I am an honored member of CruiseCritics.com. I can see how different social media platforms can be critical of CruiseCritics.com. Yet those whom frequent cruiseCritics.com are looking for a different level of information. This is usually because most of them are frequent cruisers for decades. Not all, most and this is my opinion. The real positive here, all social media, blogs and cruise site offer a view that assists in making future and expensive decisions like; cruise lines, cabin categories, specialty restaurants, shows and excursions. Just like with survey analysis, throw out the bad and the great. Look at what the middle 80% say and you will get a great consensus.
The Path to the Perfect Cruise Experience: In this next section, it come from my experience. You may agree or disagree. Regardless, my last few cruises have been outstanding. The approach goes like this:
· Attitude: If you go on a cruise with a bad attitude, just skip the cruise. I have done it and I knew I was setting the entire week up to be a huge failure. If you get on board and something happens badly right away, let it go. An example was a cruise on the Celebrity Equinox a few years ago. We were staying in the very expensive “Celebrity Suite”. I plan details to a level of sickness. Every “T” is crossed; every “I” is dotted. It drives my family nuts. On day one, before the cruise even began, we were escorted to the Suites lounge while our rooms were getting ready. The Suite Lounge Concierge informed me that neither my wife or I had the Adult Drink Package. She suggested because we had a third in our room, the drink package was most likely no longer a perk. I got really upset, fast. I stewed in my seat for 30-minutes while the Concierge check the issue. She came back and said, it was fixed and it was the cruise lines fault. My attitude was shot for the entire cruise. Expensive lesson learned on attitude control.
· Pre-Plan: Your family will fight you one this. They will say, “You are planning to much, just go with the flow, dad. This is a vacation and you are stressing out about the smallest items.” Have you heart those quotes? Well guess who they yell at when they can’t get a reservation before 10:00 PM at a specialty restaurant. Who gets criticized when there is no more room in the shows. Not the bad shows; the good shows. Who starts to cry at the airport because you attempted to fly to your cruise the morning of the cruise and your flight is either cancelled or delayed. Whose luggage does not get to the room because they did not use a high-end luggage tag that the animals at the airlines can’t rip off. Who gets turned away at the port because their passport will expire soon, they are to far along in their pregnancy or they are openly sick. This is why, I pre-plan like it will be my last trip of my life time.
· Learn about the cruise Bull Shit and Prepare for IT:
· Nickle and Diming by the Cruise Line: Be prepared and don’t let it bother you. Can’t knock the cruise line for attempting to improve their profits.
o On day one, have your cabin steward take every single item out of the room that cost extra.
o If you get a spa treatment, tell the masseuse you only want the massage you ordered and not the upgraded “Special Massage” that has special creams and hot rocks. I simply DON’T use cruise spa’s any more.
o Tell you matradee in the restaurant, that you DO NOT want the chiefs table special meal that cost more than the cruise itself and is just as good as the meal being served. Cut these folks off, even before they get started.
o Skip the daily specialty drinks in the take home souvenir glass. The drink sucks and the glass will be in your next garage sale.
o Know that if you buy a drink, spa treatment, or many special services; the tip is already put on your tab. Yet there is a place for an additional tip. Tricky.
· Lounge Chair Hogs: These folks are famous internationally. Everyone has experienced them. It holds true with the best location of Lounge Chairs by the pool and seats in the theatre for the best shows. They wake up at 05:30 AM and put their towels, beach bags and sometime humorously elaborate signage on a chair. Don’t get mad, get even. If a pool lounge chair has not been used in 15 minutes, move their stuff neatly off the chair and put it under it. The cruise line says they are going to do this, but they don’t want to piss off their passengers. If the passenger comes back and gives you any lip; just say it is cruise line policy and take it up with customer services. Since my wife does not like conflict, yet I am up for it anytime; I think we are all being wronged by these lounge chair hogs. My plan is even more effective yet, also much more expensive. I book Suites, in the VIP area; that have private pools, sun decks, hot tubs, restaurants and bars. Problem completely solved. One such “Ship-Within-A-Ship” VIP area is called the NCL Haven. Most cruise lines have these exclusive area’s now.
· Rude Children in the Pools and Hot tubs: Want to get into a fight with another passenger; criticize their kid. Go ahead, I double dare you. These kids are not the issue it is their parents attitude that the pool or hot tub area is the parents personal baby sitter. This even happens in the VIP area’s like the NCL Haven. The solution is most cruise lines have adult only pool areas. Go there. In the VIP Haven, NCL finally got the point. Their newest ship, the Encore, has a three level VIP Haven Area. The top level is adults only; has the best view; has two huge hot tubs and a cigar smoking lounge on the nose of the ship. I will happily pay the premium
· Drinks at the Pool or your Favorite Bar On-Board: You are NOT going to like this one. So, You-Do-You. Don’t let your significate other attempt to get an adult beverage from the pool bar, simply don’t do it. Today, most cruise lines give the standard adult drink package as a free perk. A higher percentage of all passenger have this package. Everyone wants to get their monies worth, from start to finish. Here is a simple solution to a complicated problem. Find a pool server, introduce him/her to your significant other and give the server a $10.00 tip in cash, on day one. Problem solved. Can’t get a drink at your favorite bar. Not me, they are all over me. Why, I find my favorite bar tender and give him a $20.00 tip on day-one? From that point forward, they call me “Mr. Gary” and all I need to do with them is eye contact.
· Want a GREAT Steak, Chops or Prime Rib: Before or after you cruise, take your family to Ruth Chris; Perry’s; Flemings or the Capital Grill. You will NOT get a GREAT steak even in the Steak House Specialty Restaurant on the ship. Will it be good to average, YES. GREAT NO. I refuse to go to the cruise lines Steakhouse any more. Instead, if I have a specialty restaurant package, I go to the French, Seafood, BBQ, Japanese or Fusion Restaurants. You have been forewarned.
· Shows Especially the Crew Shows: Some of these shows are the worst. So, if you want to leave early, yet you are sitting in the middle of the aisle or the front row, it is awkward. New strategy, sit in the last row on the aisle. You can exit anytime you want. Recently on the NCL Getaway sailing, my wife and I did just that strategy. We are frequent cruisers, you know. The shows name was “Burn the Floor”. From the start to the finish, this way one of the best shows I have seen on a cruise ship. I am very critical and picky. My wife was the first to give a standing ovation. That was incredible. Will I change my seating strategy in the future, NOPE. Every seat is a great seat in these theatre’s. Extra incentive, you are closer to exit, bathroom and bar.
· Casino, Deal or no Deal, Bingo: Enough said!!!!!!! They make lots of money for the cruise line.
Well, there you have it. The best approach to the PERFECT next Cruise. Feel free to comment and ask me anything (ama). If you are rude with your comments, I will simply not answer you. If you disagree, make your case so folks can comment back. You have the right to have your own opinion. Happy cruising.

I'm really excited for my first cruise with Royal. We've only cruised on Carnival (twice) and NCL (twice). My wife and I wanted a shorter cruise since it's just the two of us. We're leaving our son with his grandparents for the extended weekend and one of the appeals of the itinerary was 2 sea days. I love enjoying the boat and the casino on those days. The details online have been vague but I read it was updated last year. Does anyone know what was done?
What type of limits can I expect for craps and blackjack? I've heard RC has pretty terrible odds on craps.

I just went on my first cruise with carnival, and while cruising was fun I was bothered by all the smoking! I understand that smoking is not permitted in cabins or dining rooms, but every time I took the stairs and had to pass the casino level it just reeked, all the way to the stairs and permeated the entire floor. The jogging track on the upper level was also directly above the smoking section of the lido, and each day on my morning jogs all I could smell was secondhand smoke, just a terrible design!
Are there cruises where smoking is not permitted?

EDIT: I have made updates based on feedback
I have found myself in the position of being the informal travel agent for six people (including myself). Half have never cruised before. I, having been a former Carnival Staff member, and also cruising on Norwegian Sky and MSC Musica, am the designated "cruise expert." ^{No, I do not think of myself as an actual cruise expert but compared to the rest. . . Yeah.}
Anyway, I am putting together an email to inform the first timers of things they need to know and expect. Could some experienced cruisers take a look over it and let me know if I'm leaving something out or something I say should be worded differently?
Thanks in advance. See below
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Things to Know about the Cruise
1. Embarkation
A cruise ship holds between 4,100 and 4,800 passengers per cruise and each one has to have their bags and passports checked before they are allowed on. It is generally recommended that you arrive the earliest possible time in hopes of being at the front of the line and getting through the quickest OR showing up about an hour before the required onboard time in hopes of being last and the rest of the line will be gone so you can get through quickly. No matter what, expect a long wait.
2. What You Can Not Bring On Board
There are a few things a cruise line will not allow a passenger to bring onboard. If you try to bring them, most likely they will be confiscated at embarkation, kept in a locked, secret area of the ship, and probably returned to you at the end of the cruise. Hopefully.

• Beverages ◦ The two greatest money makers for cruise lines are the casino and onboard beverages. That’s why you can get all inclusive resort experience that also moves you to tourist destinations for a relatively cheap cost. Each cruise line has it’s own policy regarding bringing beverages onboard. [Royal Caribbean](https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/food-drink-onboard-policy) allows two 750ml bottles of wine or champagne per stateroom, as long as one person in that cabin is over the legal drinking age as well as 12 standard sized (17oz) cans or bottles of non-alcoholic beverages. 

Norwegian Cruise Lines allows ONLY bottles of wine and champagne. No non-alcoholic beverages are allowed brought onboard.
Carnival Cruise Lines allows one 750ml bottle of wine and 12 12oz cans (no bottles) of non-alcoholic beverages.
Check your cruise line’s policy for specifics.

• Power Strips ◦ On some ships, power outlets can be scarce. But surge protectors are also dangerous onboard a ship. The prohibition on power strips is due to the fact that many of them have surge protection installed in them. If there is a ground fault anywhere else on the ship, these surge protectors can cause a fire even if nothing is currently plugged into them. If you’re going to bring a power splitter ensure it does not have surge protection installed. 

1. Muster Drill

Maritime Law requires every person onboard a cruise ship must participate in a Muster Drill.
First, “muster” means to gatheassemble. Each cabin is assigned a muster station where everybody in that cabin must meet, with crew and guests from other cabins, when called from the bridge.
A Muster Drill is like a fire drill at school or work. It takes about 15 – 20 minutes to complete. There will be several announcements over the ship’s intercom system instructing you on what to do. The basics are go to your stateroom, grab your provided life preserveflotation device and bring it to your designated muster station. However, each ship is different and many don’t require you to bring your life preserver. Pay attention to the instructions given. Directions to your muster station are usually posted in your stateroom. Crew will also be throughout the ship to help guide you.
YES it is required. As several newlyweds have discovered, the crew do open the door and check every cabin to make sure no passengers are trying to skip the muster drill. If you think it’s an annoying/boring interruption of your cruise, think about the crew that do this exact same scenario every few days, just so they can save you in case of emergency.

1. Ship Time

Once you embark a ship you are officially operating on “Ship Time,” a magical realm where the only time that matters is what the Bridge clock is set to. From the beginning to the end of the cruise, even when you’re in port, no matter what the local time says you are on ship time. Because of this, and international data/roaming charges, I recommend an old school watch and not depending on your phone, which may update to local time. When the ship schedule says it departs the port at 5pm. That is 5pm ship time. PERIOD. You better be onboard or become a Pier Runner.

1. Phone Data/Wifi

There are no cellphone towers in the ocean. Also your destinations are usually international. Phone companies, typically, do not play nice with international connections (Your mileage may vary. Check your phone companies policies and your individual plan). Onboard the ship you might accidentally get a data connection that will result in astronomical charges. Put your phone in Airplane Mode and turn on Wifi. A lot of companies are beginning to use an app that you can use onboard, without purchasing Wifi time, to book reservations at onboard restaurants, shore excursions, and various other things.
Also, you’re on vacation. Unplug from the rest of life and relax. Right?

1. Dramamine

I do not have issues with sea sickness. Call me lucky but motion sickness does not affect me until the circumstances become extreme. However, my girlfriend does and she got some advice years ago that works for her.
A) Get Dramamine.
B) Begin taking it at least 24 hours before boarding the ship.
C) Take it at regular, prescribed intervals throughout the cruise.
D) Keep taking it for 24 hours after leaving the cruise.
Regular, full strength Dramamine has a tendency to make people sleepy, so If you want the non-drowsy formula, do that. However, I can’t vouch for the difference in how well one works over the other. Other people have said great things about sea sickness patches that absorb through your skin, but those seem less reliable (in my limited experience).

1. Copies of Your Passport

International travelers know you should have at least one copy of your passport photo page stowed away in your luggage. Personally, I like to over prepare and make four copies. I keep my passport in an under-shirt pouch. Two copies in my backpack for carrying around and two copies in my luggage. It’s over-preparation, but as the old saying goes, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

Anyone have any idea if I can use gift cards or buy on board credit and apply it to the casino so that i can gamble with it? Trying to trigger the Amex offer and have an upcoming cruise that i unfortunately already booked.

Hey y'all. I've been on a few cruises before with my family but my boyfriend and I are finally taking one together! I have been on the NCL Getaway and RCI Oasis of the Seas. When we went on the NCL we were in the Haven and it was awesome. However, I'm looking at going on a cruise for New Years week and the Haven is sold out on the Bliss and Epic so we're just going to do inside or balcony. There is a decent price difference between the Epic and Bliss so I'm just wondering if it is worth it to go on the Bliss. I know it's the newer ship but I'm just curious is people could share their experiences! My boyfriend has never been on a cruise so he's just generally excited. Also he doesn't drink so is it worth us to get the drink package? I'm sorry this is post is a mess I'm still not really use to posting on reddit.

I've sailed carnival around 10x so far and have done most of their itineraries. I'm about 12 days away from platinum. Being I'm fairly cost conscious i havent been able to find a better deal with carnivals past guest and casino offers. I also don't have any issues with carnival in general.
Is there anything that i should look at that may change my mind?

I just booked a cruise on NCL. I was told I can go to the casino line in the port. Has anyone done it or is it just the priority line?

What's your favourite paid thing on a cruise ship? Anything you pay for counts. Restaurant, a specific spa treatment, a certain game at the casino, etc...
I have a few.
Dolce Gelato on the NCL Breakaway. The gelato was really good but the part I loved the most was getting it with my wife and going for a nice little walk around outside the ship.
Build-a-Bear at Sea on the Carnival Breeze. My son has grown up so much but he still LOVES stuffed animals. He was so beyond excited to build a new little cruise friend.
Zero Proof drinks on the Carnival Breeze. It wasn't specifically a thing on the Breeze, I just never thought of it on any other cruise. I don't drink alcohol but I can still feel fancy sitting at the piano bar sharing an horrendously overprices and ridiculously undersized drink with my wife like a real adult. I should mention that I know I don't need to have a drink to be an adult, it's just fun.

Hey, all. Again, thanks for all the help you’ve given me in the past few months as I prepared for my trip, as well as being on it!
I’m currently on my way home after disembarking from the NCL Bliss in New York a few hours ago and I have some thoughts. (I’m also exhausted from barely sleeping before getting off the ship, so I apologize in advance if this is discombobulated.)
Overall, I think the ship is beautiful. The hull itself is beautiful: I got to take a closer look at the artwork when we docked in Nassau, and I was pretty much blown away by how intricate everything was. Wyland is a pro. The interiors weren’t too shabby either: the Bliss Theater was snazzy and comfy, the chandelier near the casino is gorgeous, and the Observation Lounge is perfect for relaxing in the evening.
Here are some pros I particularly liked: - The bathrooms were bigger than I expected! Though they were still small, I still felt like I had space to freshen up, as well as for my friends to as well. (For what it’s worth, we were in a balcony cabin.) - The beds were quite comfy, which was a nice surprise. I’m a rough sleeper, but I slept pretty great with an extra pillow and blanket snagged from the top bunk. - Apple juice in the Garden Cafe. Since I chose to purchase neither the soda or alcohol package (and wasn’t a fan of the iced tea I had the first day), I was really happy to find apple juice for free there on the ship. (And not even just because my stomach was still feeling dodgy.) - The pier party at Nassau was pretty cute too, as was the staff’s constant dedication to sanitizing. I need to send a long email later. - This might just be me, but the people at the medical center were really helpful in getting me to stop puking my guts up. I hate doctors and hospitals, but they were patient and kind. The same goes for those at guest services, who easily applied my refund for the shore excursion I missed due to being in medical isolation, though that might just be a you win some, you lose some type of thing. I don’t know. I just think the staff (for the most part) was pretty great.
Now for the cons: (Though I’m sure these are all just me being biased) - I don’t know if it was just me, but I couldn’t stand the smell of the Garden Cafe. Literally made me gag every time I caught a whiff of it. - Not really a con, but I’m not sure how I didn’t know sooner I had to pay $10 to keep in touch with other people on the ship through the app after thinking it was free. (FWIW, the app is dodgy, so be sure to double check it if you’re waiting for a message. I understand that internet isn’t going to be perfect off land, but I feel like the app being the way it is kind of is separate from that? I dunno.) - The pool water! God. I swallowed some by accident and I haven’t been the same since. (And neither has my hair!) I heard that the water they use is saltwater, is that true? I feel like it is, but I really hope not.)
I feel like I’m missing a ton of stuff, but I’m falling asleep sitting up and I can’t think of much else! It’s an amazing ship — but I just think cruising isn’t for me, BUT I’m glad I got to try it at least once. Anyway, I hope this helps someone at least even a little!
Happy cruising, y’all!

Of course, the first disclaimer is “we all have different interests and likes.” We were excited to sail aboard The Bliss based on many good reviews. I was a little hesitant because of the size and number of passengers. We just returned from the 7 day Mexican Riviera cruise. Weather was meltingly hot and humid in Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan. Cabo was quainter than we expected.
The good stuff - and it’s almost all good! Large ship, very clean and easy to get around (walking) and navigate. Beautiful art. Fantastic chandelier at Ocean Place atrium! Nicely appointed.
We had a balcony room, which was just fine. The closet is facing the sofa and it was quite awkward to access the hangers. I mean, there was 6” between sofa and closet door. Haha, we moved the bed down just a bit so we could squeeze in. There was room for summer stuff, but it might be tight to stow jackets and heavier clothing if you went to Alaska.
The bathroom was great. The glass enclosed shower was really a nice touch. There was also a little coffee maker in the room, which we used often. We had a mid ship location, slightly forward, and it was not far from elevators except.... (see cons).
We did not partake of any. speciality dining. The Local is open 24/7, and great for light meals. The Korean chicken wings were fabulous. The service was very nice. You could sit “outside” the restaurant, around the atrium, watching things happen, and they would bring you your food.
Taste and Savor main restaurants were very good with very good service. We usually booked a reservation to avoid any wait. After all, there are a LOT of people on this ship. It wasn’t five star dining (i.e., when the waiters come to your table and lift off all the domes covering your food at once, etc.), but we liked it. The appetizers are small, so don’t hesitate to order more than one.
The Manhattan room is larger and a bit noisy. We had the misfortune to go on a busy night with not many table choices. We were sat next to a table of 12 kids (parents were at different table). They were not bad kids...but they were kids, talking and doing all the stuff we all do. I mean, any party of 12 might be a little crazy. However, it took any quiet elegance away from the experience.
The Garden Cafe is their buffet and breakfast is insanely crowded. We loved the Indian food, the soft serve ice cream, the omelette station. Really, things were quite edible. There is free Iced tea, coffee, lemonade and water.
Gem of the ship: The Observation Lounge. This is truly an island of tranquility amidst a lot of action. It’s a large area, with great lounge chairs, views, and ambience. The PErFECT quiet space. Also, Suzanne Jade is wonderful at the Piano!!
The Bliss theater is huge. Get there at least 15 minutes early to obtain a good seat. You need reservations for “Jersey Boys” so do that prior to departing if you can. They also had a production called “Six” which was lots of fun~! They say it will be going to Broadway in the future.
Casino: pretty large with a LOT of slots. Most table games were 10.00 minimum, which meant we weren’t gambling.
If you like pools and slides, you have come to the right place. The kids (of all ages) loved it. There is also “Spice H20” club which is more adult, if you don’t want quite so much frenetic action. The crowd tends to be younger and livelier than on other cruise ships. However, it wasn’t “spring break” antics! Just happy people. Most were super polite and we had some good laughs - especially about the elevator waits.
The hot tubs were plentiful even on busy days. Surprise!
The Gym/fitness had plenty of treadmills but not much more in the way of exercise activities. I think one cardio class that was maybe held there. I do my own thing, but if you are looking for a lot of organized classes, forget it. Bring your own water to center or sip from the fountain. I didn’t try the Thermal Suite, which is a big upcharge. Based on the crowds everywhere else, I’m glad i didn’t. I have a feeling every lounge chair would be booked. That’s not tranquility to me. (Save that for the Haven Lounge, which i’m such is quite refined).
“The Waterfront” was nice to walk around during the day. It wasn’t crowded at all, so we sat there, looking out on the ocean, on one of the days at sea. Peace!
We found the staff to be friendly and accommodating. Our room steward, Roel, was so sweet. We aren’t demanding, but he learned our schedule so when we went out, our room was quickly made up. Thank you, Roel!
Take ten steps in just about any direction in a public area and you will find a very nice bar. I had two drinks on the vacation. They were each 13.30 with the tax and auto tip. A lot of people purchase the unlimited drink package. Keep in mind, even if it is a “free at sea” perk, the gratuities and tips are NOT, and they add up to at least 200.00 dollars - maybe more. - and everyone in your room has to purchase it.
I liked that the smoking area in the Casino was closed off with glass doors.
If you like to be casual, you will LOVE this cruise. There really is no real dress code. People wore shorts and flip flops everywhere except, i believe, in the uber fancy ocean blue restaurant.
The “Cons” I’m going to start with the very worst thing that happened on the ship. The debarkation. I know, it’s always a drag, but this one was a REAL drag. People left their rooms and hung in the stairs well before it was their turn, creating a nightmarish traffic jam everywhere. There were ZERO elevators to take. We survived, but pity anyone who is even slightly handicapped. We literally stood in a roped off line that wended all through the ship, two persons wide: through the casino, restaurants, down the hall, make a turn, etc etc. etc. It took us over 1 3/4 HOURS to debark, and we were carrying our OWN luggage. Customs was a bit slow, but NOTHING compared to (what i felt) the haphazard and thoughtless way to make guests feel like cattle as they departed their vacation. Standing for THAT long, without able to use the restroom, get something to drink, even sit for a second - the absolute PITS.
The obvious solution is to pay through the nose and book “The Haven” where there is preferred treatment. We couldn’t afford that, but, really, that’s the thing to do on this ship.
Disorganized entertainment listings: Using the NCL app, it said that “The Beatles” at the cavern was SOLD OUT. Not “first come, first served” - which is how it really is!!! We finally caught on, but it was very misleading and even the box office wasn’t clear. She said, “oh it’s sold out but you have a waiting line.” No, it’s first come, first served, and maybe a waiting line for people who don’t get in. I have a feeling this also applied to the Social Comedy club and that we missed out, thinking that it WAS sold out.
We didn’t find that many activities to do that we liked. That is just personal. Also, many featured things like “Deal or No Deal” have to be bought into, in order to even get a chance to play. It seemed that we were being nickel and dimed all the time. Some folks would say, “Well, i just pay for what i want and don’t overpay.,” Well said, but i like a more inclusive experience, I think.
Excursions: Glad we didn’t do any based on the crazy crowds that lined up. However, we walked to the marina in Cabo San Lucas, and you can easily grab a little boat trip out to Land’s End for 10.00 - that’s right, 10 bucks - per person. It was really fun and lasted about 45 minutes.
TV selection. I guess this is a cruise ship problem. There were few things to watch on TV. We like to chill in our stateroom in the afternoons, so it would have been nice to grab a movie or series. We saw one only (A STar is born).
Crowds crowds crowds. This wasn’t just our observation. The place can be a madhouse after the end of any show. People crowd the elevator areas and it’s very difficult to get a lift during some hours. VERY difficult. During the “next” cruise presentation, NCL said that except for one ship, future ships were going to be a tad smaller. I wouldn’t rule out a smaller NCL ship.
I didn’t like that they were always pushing the sale of some lotto ticket and chance to win money for the cruise. Like, before just about every show or presentation.
Shopping: o.k. Not as many high end watches (if ya care) or other souvenirs. I’ve seen more on smaller ships. Just saying...
Rooms: our end tables were 6” wide - that’s right, SIX INCHES - and everything kept on falling off. There were nice USB ports on the lamps. I didn’t find myself sitting on the balcony, BUT it was very fun to have when arriving or leaving port, or to grab a wonderful sunset.
In conclusion, this was a very fun cruise for us, and we enjoyed the entertainment, but didn’t find that many other activities to draw us in. (The game shows were held in the very active, noisy Atrium, so they weren’t as engaging as they would have been if held in a smaller club or bar).
All in all, I enjoyed my cruise on the Bliss. I don’t think i would sail her again because the crowd size and constant “pay for this” mentality that left me feeling a little disenchanted. It’s partly our fault, because we aren’t into go-carts and laser tag, which many adored. I think we prefer more of a classic shipboard atmosphere. It was GREAT that it wasn’t stuffy, but sometimes we missed certain traditional things.
Also, the disembarkation was really really awful. They need to spread it out or find ways to manage the hoards better. People totally lost their civility, getting in line 1 hour before their “color” was even called. They packed the elevators and stairwells, preventing an organized exit. This made things almost dangerously crowded and difficult. Then again, pay for the upscale “Haven” and i bet it was an entirely different animal. But one still might venture out into the huddled masses (which is how I felt) and then, ugh, very crowded. They need to explain how the smaller clubs work on the ship (first come, first served) and not say “This is sold out” on the activities app. That was really annoying! I loved ditching the “formal nights” and that nonsense. I like “freestyle dining” although it is still wise to book a table if you also have other evening plans. If you can afford it, “The Haven” is the way to go. It will give you a respite from the crowds as well as a lot of priority perks (including disembarkation). I personally would book a smaller, more upscale ship if i were going to spend that money, BUT if I had teens and pre-teens, might consider this ship because of the water features, laser tag, and track.
This is especially good for young adults and families, as there are singles cabins and plenty of music venues as well as that super water park and scary slides!

Hey everyone, I was just wondering how Carnival coded their on-board charges? I have a Chase Sapphire Reserve card, and I get a $300 annual travel credit. If I can use that credit for my onboard expenses, then I'll definitely be drinking a bit more than I had planned. 😉

I just returned home from a 7 day on the NCL Epic. Here is my experience and advice. Feel free to ask any questions.
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Day 0 - Travel to Orlando
We flew in late Friday night and booked a hotel close to port for easy transfer in the AM. We took an Uber from the airport to the Country Inn right by the port. The uber ride was around $35 and we tipped a little extra for it being so far so late at night. (approx 1am). The hotel itself was nice, but the beds are terrible. I mean..TERRIBLE.
Day 1 - Embarkation Day
We took the 10:30 am transfer from the hotel to the port. They tell you not to arrive more than an hour before boarding, but it was the only time they had available. We arrived at the port a little before 11 and walked right into the terminal with no delays. Check in was super easy and we were given boarding group 10. They started boarding a little early and we were on the ship by a little after noon.
We were unable to reserve any meal reservation before hand, so our first goal was to get those placed. They directed everyone to headliners comedy club where they had multiple computers set up to do the reservations. We were able to get the days and times we wanted with no issues, including one that very evening.
Since we smoke, our next item was to find the smoking areas. For those interested, there are 3 of them on the Epic. Deck 16 aft at Spice H20 was the one we used the most. There was also one on deck 15 mid near the pools and bar. This one is smaller and was always crammed with people. The last option is the Casino, but you can only smoke there when playing, and the casino doesn't open until you hit international waters.
We were comfortably buzzed by the time we had our Muster Drill. 3pm in your designated location. It lasted roughly 1/2 hour. We were scheduled to leave at 4pm and the sail away party started right at 4. The boat however did not move. During the sail away party there was a Code Alpha announcement which we later found out was a medical emergency.
Around 5pm the captain came on and said we would be delayed due to the emergency. We later found out that a man had died of a heart attack and they delayed so that the family could take him off the ship while we were still in port.
We finally set sail around 9pm. We were worried that we would miss our first stop in the Bahamas, but the captain assured us that we would make it on time.
We spent the next couple hours checking things out and playing a little in the casino.
Day 2 - Bahamas
We were woken up in the AM by Mandy "your Cruise Director" letting us know that we were in the Bahamas and would be starting the tender process. Our excursion wasn't until the afternoon, so we were in no hurry to get off the ship. We went to the buffet for breakfast, and hung out on board a little. Around 10 we headed to deck 6 to get in line for tendering as we didn't have a group number we needed to be in. Let me tell you, that line was ridiculous. It stretched all the way from Aft to bow. We got lucky, and they opened up another tender in the front of the ship, so we only waited about 5 minutes to get on the tender.
The water there is beautiful, and since the island is owned by NCL, all drinks were free (we had the UBP). We spent the rest of the morning chilling on the beach and wading in the water. At 1:30 we headed to the info desk to start our excursion. A short 5 minute walk to the other side of the island and we were on a boat headed to another small island. It was only about a 5 minute boat ride to get there. When we arrived, we saw them in all their glory. Pigs! big beautiful pigs!
This is one of those excursions that you never have to do again, but it was super fun and an experience to say the least. You are provided with skewers with apples on the end and the pigs will swim right up to you and eat them. We spend a couple hours doing that, petting them, feeding them, and even holding them. Like I said, not something I ever need to do again, but a fun experience non the less.
After this, we headed back to the island and then back to the ship. Overall a very fun day.
Day 3 - Sea Day
This day was spent entirely in the casino. I was lucky enough to hit a decent jackpot early in the AM, so we had the money to play all day. Had this not happened, I have no idea what we would have done.
Day 4 - Ochos Rios, Jamaica
We decided not to do an excursion here, and just wander around. If you don't like to be hassled, do an excursion. If you can handle saying no 1000 times, feel free to wander around. We went to a few shops and had some drinks at Margaritaville. Then, since we were on vacation, decided to take a drive with a local guy and see some of the sights. He took us around to see the falls and to a great overlook where we could see the whole city below. He also had some decent weed, so that was nice. By about 1 o'clock we headed back to the ship for some food and a nap. Woke up around 5, had some dinner, and then back to bed for the night.
Day 5 - Grand Cayman
This was another tender port, but since we had an excursion, we had to be in the theater at 8:30 am. We were delayed a little as we had another Code Alpha the night before and they needed to do a medical evacuation. Tender process was pretty quick and we were on the island by 9:15/9:30. There are tents set up right at the dock to meet your tour. We walked a couple blocks and got on a boat with about 50 other people to do the Reef and Wreck Snorkel Adventure. Unfortunately the water was very choppy and the sun wasn't out so we didn't get to see the blue water that is in all the pictures. Once in the water though, you can see to the bottom really well and it was still a beautiful sight. The water there is very very salty, which was nice for buoyancy, but not fun to get in your mouth. This only lasted a couple hours, and we still had plenty of time to wander around town. We picked up some more souvenirs and then made our way to Burger King for some real food. PSA- it doesn't taste the same, but was still awesome.
After getting back on the boat, we decided we would take in a show. We ordered tickets from our room TV and chilled for a couple hours before the show. We saw Priscilla Queen of the Desert. Overall it was a pretty good show. If you are easily offended, skip it.
Day 6 - Cozumel
Another non excursion day. We walked around and did some shopping, nothing too exciting. The people were much less pushy that Jamaica, so that was nice. If you are planning on buying things here, don't get them at the shops right inside the port. Walk through the mall a little. The further you get from the boat, the cheaper they are. Also, feel free to haggle.
Day 7 - Sea Day
Another day in the casino. Didn't do as well, but still had enough to last all day. Overall an ok time.
Day 8 - Disembarkation
We booked a transfer to the airport through NCL. Our disembark time was approx 9:30 and they called us a little after 9. Getting off was super easy, and the new face recognition thing they use is really smooth. Luggage pickup was a clusterf*ck, but still only took us 10 minutes or so to get our luggage. Then everything stopped. The line to get on the buses to the airport was ridiculous. We waited almost an hour to get on board. The ride is about 45 minutes to the airport. We were luck enough to get on the bus with a driver who had never been to the airport before. How do they let this happen? It was a mess. We needed terminal A, but by the time she figured everything out we were in Terminal B and decided we would just walk over to A just to get off the bus. Personally, we will never use NCL's transfer again. I'd rather pay a little more for a taxi or Uber.
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Quick note on Dining - We ate at the Main dining once, specialty 3 time, and the rest was the buffet or O'sheehans. The main dining was actually very good. The buffet was fine, it was a buffet. Cagney's was amazing. La Cucina was my least favorite, should have just done Cagney's 3 times.
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The big question - Is the UBP worth it? Honestly, yes, but not because I'ma huge drinker. We probably didn't get enough drinks to cover the cost. The advantage is not having to worry about anything. No matter what you want, you just give them a card and its no cost. The convenience was worth more than the actual price of the drinks. Plus you don't have to check your account every day to make sure you aren't spending too much.
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Sorry this is long, but I wanted to give everyone a thorough review of my first cruise. Feel free to ask any questions and I'll be happy to answer.
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TL;DR - Went on a cruise, had fun. Prefer All-Inclusive Resorts though.

For Trading January 28th
CORONA VIRUS CRUSH Massive “Quarantined”
Worst Day Since October
Join Us Every Day, Link Below
Today’s market started off lower on Coronavirus concerns and by 9:45 we had made the low of the day -549. The semiconductor (SMH, index we were short) was one of the hardest hit index. While all the markets rallied, they also had a late move lower and the DJIA was -453.93 (1.57%), NASDAQ -175.60 (1.89%), S&P 500 -51.84 (1.57%), the Russell -18.09 (1.09%) and the DJ Transports, the biggest loser -263.99 (2.39%). It was a day dominated by the Coronavirus and reports of the growing number of deaths and of those affected. Personally, I don’t believe the current numbers and I think that when all is said and done, the real numbers will be 8 or 10 times what we’re hearing now. We had a position in the SMH puts, bought at $ .75 on Friday morning and then had to sell half 2 hours later on the 100% Up Rule, and sold the balance at prices between $3.95-$4.20. Market internals never really recovered in any significant way and finished roughly 3.5:1 on both the DJIA and the NAZ. NYSE volume was closer to 6:1 negative. The DJIA was 5:1 negative with the biggest losers AAPL-64, UNH -60, BA -44 and GS -30 DPs. WMT -10DPs was the only double-digit gainer.
Our “open forum” on Discord, which allows me to interact with subscribers and others to allow direct questions and chart opinions on just about any stock, continues to grow with more participants every day. It is informative and allows me to share insights as the market is open and moving. The link is: https://discord.gg/ATvC7YZ and I will be there and active from before the open and all day. It’s a great place to share ideas and gain some insights.
SECTORS: Other names in the news: The only group that make the highlight reel were biotech that have a connection to either drugs, vaccines or screening tests for the virus. On Thursday I highlighted CODX for its 79% move up from a bit over $1.00. Today it continued closing $3.43 +1.55 (82.45%), the rest of the group that were up at the open included INO (also written up here) finishing $532 +1.08 (25.4%), Moderna (MRNA) $22.74 +1.62 (7.67%), NVAX, up from $5.75 to close the day $8.50 +.70 (8.9%), and the biggest winner and the “HOMERUN OF THE DAY,” Cleveland Bio Labs (CBLI) which closed Friday $1.32 and traded as high as $5.16 and is trading $4.51 + 3.19 (242%). We went into the day with a put position in SMH that was originated Friday morning at $ .75, and we had to sell half @ $1.50 on our 100% Up Rule and today we sold them between $3.95 and $4.20. YTD is now +15.8%). Another group hurt by the virus is casinos. WYNN was trading over $153 a week ago and closed $123.89 -10.86 (8.06%), LVS has fallen from $74.59 to close $63.27 -4.58 (6.75%, and they weren’t the only group tied to these names, cruise and transportation were also weaker. Royal Caribbean (RCL) was $135 last week and closed the day $116.91 -9.60 (7.59%, NCL from $60 to close $54.16 -1.68 (3.01%) and the airlines, UAL from $90 to $77.63, American $29 to 26.11 and Delta (DAL) $62.48 to $56.83.
Whirlpool had earnings after the close and they beat on the top-line but had a slight miss on revenues. The stock has been trading on both sides of unchanged from the close and is currently $148.00 -.23
BIOPHARMA: was LOWER with BIIB +3.00, ABBV +1.16, REGN -5.66, ISRG -22.71 (3.85%), MYL -.69, TEVA +.10, VRTX -1.69, BHC -.05, INCY -.67, ICPT -2.71, LABU -.65, and IBB $116.16 -.72 (.62%).
CANNABIS: stocks were LOWER with TLRY -1.05, CGC -1.05, CRON -.30, GWPH -4.16, ACB -.09, PYX -.83, APHA -.37, ACRGF -.21, CURLF -.15, KERN -.37, and MJ $16.85 -.58 (3.33%).
DEFENSE: was LOWER with no major moves and ITA $228.88 -2.90 (1.25%).
RETAIL was LOWER with the market and the only 2 names higher were discounters WMT +1.49 and TGT +1.43 and XRT $44.47 -.43 (.96%).
FAANG and Big Cap: were LOWER with GOOGL -34.43, AMZN -30.64, AAPL -8.93, FB -2.82, NFLX -8.96, NVDA -10.68, TSLA -4.51, BABA -7.55, BIDU -3.72, BOX -.96, IBM -1.70, BA -6.38, CAT -4.49 and XLK $95.20 -2.33 (2.99%).
FINANCIALS were LOWER with GS -3.92, JPM -.80, BAC -.67, MS -1.26, C -1.66, PNC -1.85, AIG -.93, TRV -1.05, AXP -4.11 and XLF $29/.95 -.44 (1.45%).
OIL, $53.14 -1.05. Today’s action was a continued decline to $52.13 before a bounce up to close off the lows. The $52.00 area was support and we’ll have to see if it holds in the next few days. The stocks were LOWER with the XLE $55.27 -1.35 (2.38%).
METALS, GOLD: $1,577.40 +5.50 after breaking out “of the box” earlier last week, and the Iran news, we traded as high as $1,613 before turning down. I bought the GLD calls after we traded down to my area of support around $1,545 and after the small consolidation started higher. We ran into some excessive supply at $1,588 and turning back today. We bought the GLD 2/149 calls @ $1.10 and they closed $1.89 today.
BITCOIN: closed $8,995 +500. We broke to the upside today and managed a close on the highs. I now expect a test of $9,200 to $9,500. We own 750 GBTC with an average of $8.89. GBTC closed $9.85 + .37 today.
Tomorrow is another day.
CAM

One popular vacation choice is going on a cruise. In recent years the industry has continued to grow and thrive as more and more people take to the waters for a floating vacation.

More Fun, Less Hassle

A significant benefit of taking a cruise is that it feels like multiple vacations all rolled into one. When passengers board a cruise ship, they are relieved to not have to move between hotels when their vacation destination changes. Once they are unpacked, they can enjoy each stop on a cruise, knowing they are laying their head in the same place every night until they return home.

Improved Health

Cruise fans will be happy to hear that it can actually improve their health. While they are on the boat, they are exposed to fresh air and sunshine as well as saltwater, both from oceanside stops along the way and the swimming pools on the cruise ship. In addition, healthy meals are always available to passengers. This, combined with plenty of opportunities to exercise and socialize, means that passengers will likely disembark from the cruise with a new lease on life.
No matter the age of the passenger, there is something for everyone on a cruise ship. Most major cruise lines distribute a daily schedule to their passengers. This allows them to plan out their activities for the following day while the adults enjoy shopping, spas, casinos, and more, cruise lines such as Norwegian run special programs for children and even a nursery for toddlers and babies.

A Worthwhile Vacation

Compared to other types of vacations, a cruise offers great value to its passengers. For one price, passengers get complimentary entertainment, meals, snacks, non-alcoholic drinks and more. Most cruise lines offer add-ons that passengers can pay a little extra for. This commonly includes benefits such as unlimited alcoholic drinks and a constant wi-fi connection.

Less Stress

A cruise can be among one of the least stressful types of vacations. With everything in one place, vacationers don’t have to worry about managing car rentals, restaurant reservations, or other similar concerns. It is one way that people can enjoy taking a vacation without putting themselves at risk of getting lost in an unfamiliar city and exposed to danger.
From EphraimVashovsky.net

One popular vacation choice is going on a cruise. In recent years the industry has continued to grow and thrive as more and more people take to the waters for a floating vacation.

More Fun, Less Hassle

A significant benefit of taking a cruise is that it feels like multiple vacations all rolled into one. When passengers board a cruise ship, they are relieved to not have to move between hotels when their vacation destination changes. Once they are unpacked, they can enjoy each stop on a cruise, knowing they are laying their head in the same place every night until they return home.

Improved Health

Cruise fans will be happy to hear that it can actually improve their health. While they are on the boat, they are exposed to fresh air and sunshine as well as saltwater, both from oceanside stops along the way and the swimming pools on the cruise ship. In addition, healthy meals are always available to passengers. This, combined with plenty of opportunities to exercise and socialize, means that passengers will likely disembark from the cruise with a new lease on life.
No matter the age of the passenger, there is something for everyone on a cruise ship. Most major cruise lines distribute a daily schedule to their passengers. This allows them to plan out their activities for the following day while the adults enjoy shopping, spas, casinos, and more, cruise lines such as Norwegian run special programs for children and even a nursery for toddlers and babies.

A Worthwhile Vacation

Compared to other types of vacations, a cruise offers great value to its passengers. For one price, passengers get complimentary entertainment, meals, snacks, non-alcoholic drinks and more. Most cruise lines offer add-ons that passengers can pay a little extra for. This commonly includes benefits such as unlimited alcoholic drinks and a constant wi-fi connection.

Less Stress

A cruise can be among one of the least stressful types of vacations. With everything in one place, vacationers don’t have to worry about managing car rentals, restaurant reservations, or other similar concerns. It is one way that people can enjoy taking a vacation without putting themselves at risk of getting lost in an unfamiliar city and exposed to danger.
From EphraimVashovsky.net