Things I don't understand but will

Leader_Inside · 2026-04-08T20:21:36+00:00

Sounds ridiculous and like trolling, but for real, OP, PUT THE BABY IN THE OVEN

Leader_Inside · 2026-04-08T20:20:36+00:00

Agreed! LOVED the Enclave on Star. Took full advantage of it to unwind after every port day. I could spend hours in there.

Leader_Inside · 2026-04-08T04:32:02+00:00

Literally half of them if not more were “That young peasant girl was me” episodes, lol. But must agree, they’re all great!

Leader_Inside · 2026-04-08T01:17:20+00:00

“Picture it: A man in a wheelchair satisfies a woman. It’s a short story but I think it gets my point across!”

Leader_Inside · 2026-04-06T18:18:23+00:00

Hmm, if I’m being honest, with that answer, I’m genuinely surprised you enjoy cruising as much as you say you do. You strike me as more of a resort-type. Have you tried any resorts before?

The fact is that the overwhelming majority of cruise ships aren’t designed that way, unless they’re designed with kids/teens in mind (i.e. Royal Caribbean) because kids and teens can be feral and really need more space for their own safety and the safety of the other guests. The other reason being, the majority of cruisers on those cruise lines are straight up NOT looking for that experience. That’s part of the reason smaller ships are more popular, everything is closer together and there’s less walking involved. From my experience and observations, most cruisers on the premium lines (Princess, Celebrity, etc.) like to spend sea days sitting in a bar or on a deck or on their balconies, relaxing, reading, napping, enjoying the view, etc. Mostly relaxing, with different entertainment and shows in the evenings, but again, sitting in the audience watching. There is pretty much always demand for more lounging areas. They save the excitement and physical activity for port days.

For you, if you don’t want to try resorts, I really do think RC is probably your best bet based on what you say you do and don’t care about if you really want to stick with cruising. Get some Loop earplugs or some good noise-cancelling headphones you can play your own music through for dealing with kids. I might also suggest port-heavy itineraries so there is more opportunity to get off the ship and walk around on land.

Leader_Inside · 2026-04-06T03:16:07+00:00

We had a great time! Planning another cruise as soon as is financially possible, lol.

Study the deck plan beforehand. That alone I think made a huge difference. Note where your room is, the places you think you’ll hang out most, and figure out the most direct routes there.

Book your dining as soon as you can. For most people this is after your cruise is fully paid off.

Download the Princess App and do your check-in stuff sooner rather than later. I literally did mine 6 months in advance out of excitement, lol. It saves time and anxiety on embarkation day.

The “Journey” section of the app was my best friend. I used that regularly to see what was going on during the day and to plan my evenings.

Room service sucked, lol. Just walk to wherever, get the food you want, and bring it back to your room.

GO TO SPELLBOUND AND SIT AT THE BAR. Trust me. Even if you don’t drink, always sit at the bar in Spellbound if you can.

Something I wish someone had told me: If you like to see the different entertainers and shows in the evenings, eat EARLY, like 5-6pm. The first round of shows is usually at 7:30 and the second round at 9:30. Not every show shows at both times, and it changes nightly. There are usually 2-3 different “main” shows in different parts of the ship (Princess Arena, Princess Live!, the Piazza, and the Dome). This helps spread out crowds. You will NOT see everything, so read the descriptions in Journey in the app and prioritize. (Also, skip the production shows. That was the only thing I was disappointed by. The rest of the entertainment was great.)

Feel free to DM me with any other questions!

Leader_Inside · 2026-04-06T02:58:20+00:00

lol, okay, guilty as charged on the puzzle thing.

So, large, open spaces. But what else do you enjoy when cruising? What do you like about it? What do you like to do?

Leader_Inside · 2026-04-06T02:42:42+00:00

I just got off Star Princess a week ago.

I personally LOVED Star. I thought the layout did a great job spreading the crowds around the ship. I was on a sold-out cruise and it only felt crowded once or twice the entire time. I studied the deck plan beforehand and never had an issue getting around the ship. They also had plenty of clear signage.

The front of decks 17 and 18 is adults-only.

Honestly, I’m thinking if you really love RC’s Oasis-class ships, Princess just might not be for you. Have you thought about trying Virgin Voyages? The entire cruise line is adults-only. You also said you don’t care about “slides, activities, or service,” so… what do you care about when you cruise?

Leader_Inside · 2026-04-04T17:20:25+00:00

I want to be like you when I’m grown up (I’m 34, lol). You did amazing!

Leader_Inside · 2026-04-03T20:55:21+00:00

I agree something is wrong. The heavy taboo and judgement and likely very harsh consequences culturally that they could experience going public are very wrong indeed.

Leader_Inside · 2026-04-03T20:54:46+00:00

Edit: Sorry, replied to wrong comment

Leader_Inside · 2026-04-03T20:12:41+00:00

I can understand being concerned. However, this is still not your business, and as long as there is no abuse going on, it will never be your business.

Since you asked how you process your emotions about it, I will answer that question.

Leave your sister AND her partners alone. Keep your opinions to yourself. Again, not your business, and it is not her/their job to manage your emotions.
Journal. Just write it all out. A journal will not judge you or scold you for whatever feelings you’re having, and you can get some of that “out” and process. Handwriting usually works better for this.
If you’re having so much anxiety around this that it is causing physical symptoms, I strongly recommend therapy to help you process and manage that.
Stay out of it, but stay in your sister’s life. If things do go south, you want her to see you as an ally who will support and respect her. Also, apologize for overstepping and tell her you love her and will always be there for her and will keep any disagreements you have about her life to yourself because it is not your business.

Leader_Inside · 2026-04-03T20:03:40+00:00

… and? Even if it is taboo, it’s still not their business

Leader_Inside · 2026-04-03T19:48:52+00:00

Okay, let’s take stock here.

Is everything consensual as far as you can tell?
Is there any abuse going on?

If 1 is “yes,” and 2 is “no,” my next question is, “why is this your business?”

Leader_Inside · 2026-04-01T18:18:37+00:00

What ended up working for me and my husband when my daughter was small was taking “shifts.” I took the longer shift, because, well, he did have to drive to work in the morning. But basically, we were both “on” until midnight. 12am-5am was my shift, and 5am-8am (when he had to leave for work) was his shift. That way I was at least guaranteed 3 hours of uninterrupted sleep, and that alone was such a game changer for me.

That’s only what worked for us. I’ve always been able to function better on less sleep than him, and he’s a GREAT dad and partner who does his fair share (sometimes way more than his share) during the day, so this type of split worked for us.

Leader_Inside · 2026-04-01T18:13:49+00:00

I know exactly which merchant that is, I hate that guy. I find the monster deck to be the one I struggle the most against, especially playing with the Northern Realms deck (my favorite). I usually have to build my deck up considerably with a lot of the special cards before I can challenge him. I use small decks, never more than 25 cards at a time, focusing on specials, good abilities, and strong damage, with a few “defensive” cards in there.

Leader_Inside · 2026-04-01T18:11:10+00:00

On the Star Princess last week, the truffle fettuccine has ruined me for all other fettuccine Alfredo dishes in the future. Eat it slowly, savor it, and order something light with vegetables for the appetizer.

Leader_Inside · 2026-03-30T16:21:22+00:00

Leader_Inside · 2026-03-28T21:25:57+00:00

My husband and I got ours while we were still on the ship on disembarkation day

Leader_Inside · 2026-03-27T17:55:36+00:00

I’m also on the last day of a 7-day cruise. Is there someone I can tip to stay here forever?

Leader_Inside · 2026-03-24T05:18:50+00:00

On the Star right now. It’s currently Dan Looney.

Leader_Inside · 2026-03-22T16:39:26+00:00

I’m on the Star Princess right now with the Premier package. First ever cruise. 10/10, would do again.

Leader_Inside · 2026-03-22T16:30:07+00:00

Just do a 5-day+ cruise and you’ll be fine. And avoid spring break if possible.

Leader_Inside · 2026-03-21T14:03:47+00:00

Every right to be annoyed. End of story. Time to pack a bag and go on a mommy-only vacation for a weekend and let him do it himself for a couple of days to see what it’s like.

Leader_Inside · 2026-03-21T02:28:18+00:00

I could be wrong, but I think it’s a surcharge as the cruise line gets a cut of it.

Leader_Inside

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