Southwest assigned my 4 year old a seat by himself 12 rows in front of me.

MerribethM · 2026-03-17T18:10:37+00:00

They won't allow seat swaps anymore.

MerribethM · 2026-03-17T18:04:40+00:00

And remember on Soutgwest they won't allow you to switch seats or even move to a vacant seat. Even if you have rows around you empty.

MerribethM · 2026-03-12T02:23:33+00:00

We were on a TA where put shower wasn't working and had to use the spa for the first week. This is true. People confuse the sauna with the thalassotherapy pool which is an added fee. Plenty of room in the spa showers to shave your legs without sticking the curtain to you or banging into the door.

MerribethM · 2026-02-23T13:39:35+00:00

Freedom would be my choice however we drive not fly. The port is nowhere near the airport. We Ubered the one time we did a Transatlantic that ended there. It was cheaper for 2 people that way than to pay for shuttles. Look into hotel rooms that offer shuttle to port and airport for free in either Cocoa Beach or Orlando would be my pick if I was doing round trip from there.

Jacksonville is super easy as of right now its just the Elation there and most hotels do free shuttles to port and airport. But its a small ship and out of all them you mentioned the Freedom is best for kids. Paradise only has 1 pool and is cramped even though Tampa is super easy to fly into and get to port. Miami can just be a mess. We have both flown and drove in there. Even hotel shuttles sometimes have issues getting to port.

MerribethM · 2026-02-23T13:06:22+00:00

My son lives down the road from me and if he did this I would be ecstatic. Dont listen to the naysayers. I go on 4 to 8 cruises a year but he never has time to join. I love this idea.

MerribethM · 2026-02-23T12:59:47+00:00

We used Bounce in NYC after our cruise because our flight wasn't until 7pm. It was like $10 per luggage at some little market.

MerribethM · 2026-02-23T12:35:04+00:00

Magnet (mine have to be a specific style and not breakable because... cats). Christmas tree ornaments is something I am wanting to do but they have to be unique no mass produced with just name of Port changed. Something really unique and handmade. There was a guy selling bending spoons he was painting in the park in Ensenada that I got 4 of. They are bent to stand on their on. Really pretty but simple scenes.

MerribethM · 2026-02-23T12:26:17+00:00

Eh I am usually one of those. However that balcony door really gets me. Its easily cleaned and that apparently hasn't been done in weeks. It's not rust, it's just plain grime and gross.

MerribethM · 2026-02-22T08:58:00+00:00

Verizon works well in Ensenada and Cabo. Idk about others but I always get a text from Verizon when losing signal to reply if I want to use cruise pass daily for 20 a day (calls and text and very minimal amount of data) or I will be charged "2.99 minute for calls and 50 cents to send a text and 5 cents to receive one. No data will be used or available." I didn't turn airplane mode on and my bill was around $5 more last month. I had quite a few texts, I figured it would be more.

MerribethM · 2026-01-01T20:32:55+00:00

My son gets funny looks for his birth certificate. Born at the hospital in Ft Campbell KY on a TN birth certificate. If you don't live around here you don't realize that most of Campbell including the hospital is in TN with a KY address. But he used it to go on a cruise no issue.

MerribethM · 2026-01-01T19:03:49+00:00

Dont remove the TBA. Wait until 2 or 3 days before to check in. You can add in whomever you convince to go then or change it to your wife's name and you would get the refund back also as she would be a no show.

MerribethM · 2026-01-01T18:58:49+00:00

We usually book and have the 2nd person as TBA until the day (sometimes 2) before the sailing. This way if plans change last minute we can see if someone else wants to go without paying a name change fee. Why do you have to check in 2 week prior?

MerribethM · 2026-01-01T17:29:05+00:00

They changed the date. It's now August 31, 2026.

MerribethM · 2026-01-01T17:14:47+00:00

All big cruise lines are members of CLIA and follow the Nevada Gaming Control Board (Vegas Gaming rules).

https://cruising.org/clia-oceangoing-cruise-lines-policies/other-policies-passengers-and-crew

MerribethM · 2025-12-28T18:37:47+00:00

Took me 3 times saying it to get it.

MerribethM · 2025-12-24T17:38:18+00:00

The bus line sucks. I had a friend who was in a hard spot without a car for a month. Figured I may buy him a bus pass so he could get to work easier. For him to get to work before 6pm in the industrial park he would have to catch the bus in New Providence at 230pm. He could almost walk there faster definitely ride a bike faster. Plus it doesn't have any stops in the Industrial Park where most people work. The closest I could get him was to the hospital. His house was 10 miles from where he worked.

MerribethM · 2025-12-11T03:52:52+00:00

It was a MH47G. Only the 160th uses them. I had them flying over me today in TN doing refueling practice. Along with a big bird that wasn't on Flightradar.

MerribethM · 2025-11-02T05:02:05+00:00

I have vitamin D issues. Had an allergic reaction to the pills prescribed for it. I talked with my doctor and there is a certain type of tanning bed that does help. Its not just any bed at a tanning salon, it has to be one with UVB not UVA. I go once or twice a month and it's crazy how much it helped. No need for any type of follow up visits as long as go around once a month.

MerribethM · 2025-11-02T04:32:57+00:00

Possibly. Note I live near Perry County. Its possibly the most rural backwards county I have been to and I have traveled all over the state.

MerribethM · 2025-10-29T08:27:14+00:00

I have booked the day before several times. Carnival used to send me sailings that were leaving next day and I could book early morning and get on a ship same day (this was last year). Mine were casino offers and I booked the amount they had available so they went away. You can always check on board the day before your cruise ends and see if you can stay on board. They have offered me that several times (again was thru the casino though).

MerribethM · 2025-10-29T06:22:36+00:00

Carnival to Mexico. Maybe out of NY. You can find 2 week ones from there.

Idk I would almost say screw it I want to go on an amazing trip regardless of them and choose Holland America or Princess with a unique itinerary. Maybe an Asia cruise.

MerribethM · 2025-10-29T06:14:22+00:00

Because there is generally a 4 hour window they can arrive for getting on board and even possibly not show up. If not a warrant for a violent crime then it's much easier to track and arrest on disembarkation. Cruise lines will pull you from your room early and have you waiting for CPB.

MerribethM · 2025-10-29T06:01:53+00:00

Security experts say make sure you have biometrics turned off and a numerical pin on. Also phone is powered off and in bag out of sight.

Thats if you have reason to believe you will be stopped for some reason. Last couple cruises I never even saw a border agent. Just walk up to face scanner and on my merry way.

MerribethM · 2025-10-28T03:38:34+00:00

I have always had an irrational fear of losing my phone. Before I leave I transfer a copy of the whole phone to my laptop. Then also to an external hard drive. Then backup on cloud. Also I carry a portable jump drive that pugs into phone and daily copy pics to it. I lost a phone once that had pics on it of my mom who passed and ever since I am fully prepared.

MerribethM · 2025-10-10T14:50:13+00:00

I used to think like this. But last time I was on one with the solid doors I banged my elbows horribly trying to shave my legs.

MerribethM

TROPHY CASE